Worth the replay?

1. #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. #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. #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. #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. #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. #6

   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

7. #7

   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

8. #8

   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

9. #9

   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

10. #10

    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

11. #11

    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

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.