Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BruinsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   BlackhawksatDevils

   NHL· NHL NetDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

3. #3

   StarsatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

4. #4

   PredatorsatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

5. #5

   CanadiensatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

6. #6

   PanthersatRangers

   NHL· NHL NetOne-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

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.