Worth the replay?

Saturday, April 4'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
Maple LeafsatKings
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#2
CanadiensatDevils
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#3
BruinsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#4
FlamesatDucks
NHL· ESPN+
C
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings19/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45
#5
PredatorsatSharks
NHL· ESPN+
C
40/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension21/30
Swings23/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40
#6
JetsatBlue Jackets
NHL· ESPN+
C
36/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings9/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36
#7
BlackhawksatKraken
NHL· ESPN+
D
34/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension23/30
Swings11/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late7/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34
#8
AvalancheatStars
NHL· ABC/ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#9
MammothatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension16/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#10
IslandersatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings12/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18
#11
SabresatCapitals
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings17/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#12
PanthersatPenguins
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#13
Red WingsatRangers
NHL· ABCOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#14
WildatSenators
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
9/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9
#15
Golden KnightsatOilers
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

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.