Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BruinsatDevils

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   MammothatStars

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

3. #3

   FlamesatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

4. #4

   PenguinsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

5. #5

   KingsatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

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.