Worth the replay?

1. #1

   KingsatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ 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) = 67

2. #2

   KrakenatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

3. #3

   WildatLightning

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

4. #4

   Maple LeafsatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

5. #5

   HurricanesatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

6. #6

   DucksatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

7. #7

   DevilsatStars

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

8. #8

   SenatorsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

9. #9

   OilersatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+/Hulu

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

10. #10

    BlackhawksatIslanders

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension12/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback9/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

11. #11

    CapitalsatBlues

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension21/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

12. #12

    Blue JacketsatFlyers

    NHL· ESPN+/Hulu

    D

    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension7/30

    Swings13/25

    Comeback5/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

13. #13

    Golden KnightsatJets

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

14. #14

    SharksatPredators

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

15. #15

    AvalancheatPenguins

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

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.