Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CanucksatDucks

   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

2. #2

   SenatorsatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

3. #3

   BruinsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· NHL Net

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50

4. #4

   PenguinsatCapitals

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

5. #5

   CanadiensatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

6. #6

   MammothatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

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.