Worth the replay?

Tuesday, April 7'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
Blue JacketsatRed Wings
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback14/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
OilersatMammoth
NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
74/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74
#3
FlamesatStars
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
73/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73
#4
PanthersatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#5
BruinsatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#6
BucksatNets
NBADown to the wire
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#7
KingsatWarriors
NBADown to the wire
C+
53/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53
#8
HornetsatCeltics
NBA· NBC/PeacockBack and forth
C
43/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings18/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43
#9
Golden KnightsatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C
41/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings12/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41
#10
RocketsatSuns
NBA· NBC/PeacockBig comeback
C
38/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings20/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late2/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38
#11
LightningatSenators
NHL· ESPN+
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#12
MavericksatClippers
NBA
D
27/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension12/30
Swings16/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27
#13
JazzatPelicans
NBA
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings19/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#14
KrakenatWild
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings12/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#15
HeatatRaptors
NBAOne-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings14/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#16
PredatorsatDucks
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#17
FlyersatDevils
NHL· ESPNOne-sided
D
9/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9
#18
AvalancheatBlues
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#19
ThunderatLakers
NBAOne-sided
D
4/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4
#20
BullsatWizards
NBAOne-sided
D
4/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4
#21
TimberwolvesatPacers
NBAOne-sided
D
3/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings4/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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.