Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DucksatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

2. #2

   SharksatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

3. #3

   Maple LeafsatWild

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension26/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

4. #4

   BluesatJets

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

5. #5

   PredatorsatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

6. #6

   PanthersatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.