Worth the replay?

Saturday, March 28'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
CapitalsatGolden Knights
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
71/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71
#2
KrakenatSabres
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#3
76ersatHornets
NBADown to the wireBig comeback
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback18/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#4
BullsatGrizzlies
NBADown to the wireBack and forth
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#5
SharksatBlue Jackets
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#6
IowaatIllinois
CBB· TBS/truTVDown to the wireBack and forth
C+
54/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54
#7
JetsatAvalanche
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C+
50/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings12/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50
#8
PurdueatArizona
CBB· TBS/truTVBack and forth
C
41/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension17/30
Swings20/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41
#9
SenatorsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+
C
39/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings18/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late3/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39
#10
KingsatHawks
NBA
C
37/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension23/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37
#11
StarsatPenguins
NHL· ESPN+
C
37/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings15/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late3/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37
#12
DucksatOilers
NHL· ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#13
PanthersatIslanders
NHL· ESPN+
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings18/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22
#14
WildatBruins
NHL· NHL Net
D
20/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension17/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20
#15
FlyersatRed Wings
NHL· ABCOne-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension13/30
Swings10/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18
#16
DevilsatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings13/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#17
PistonsatTimberwolves
NBA· ABCOne-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings15/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#18
MammothatKings
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#19
CanadiensatPredators
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#20
Maple LeafsatBlues
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#21
CanucksatFlames
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#22
JazzatSuns
NBA· NBA TVOne-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2
#23
SpursatBucks
NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings2/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

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.