Worth the replay?

Saturday, March 14's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
BruinsatCapitals
NHL· ABCOvertimeDown to the wire
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68
#2
KingsatDevils
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
63/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63
#3
Maple LeafsatSabres
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
B
57/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57
#4
Red WingsatStars
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
56/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56
#5
PenguinsatMammoth
NHL· ESPN+
C+
50/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings19/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50
#6
Blue JacketsatFlyers
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
C+
48/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48
#7
SharksatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+
C
44/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings19/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44
#8
HurricanesatLightning
NHL· ESPN+
C
39/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension21/30
Swings20/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39
#9
FlamesatIslanders
NHL· ESPN+
D
19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late1/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
#10
AvalancheatJets
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings11/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#11
RangersatWild
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings10/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#12
KrakenatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#13
DucksatSenators
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings5/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#14
BlackhawksatGolden Knights
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
4/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.