Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BluesatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPNDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

2. #2

   WildatRed Wings

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

3. #3

   BruinsatFlyers

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50

4. #4

   HurricanesatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

5. #5

   DevilsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

6. #6

   CapitalsatRangers

   NHL· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

7. #7

   PanthersatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   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.