Worth the replay?

1. #1

   StarsatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback

   B

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

2. #2

   HurricanesatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

3. #3

   Red WingsatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

4. #4

   AvalancheatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

5. #5

   RangersatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

6. #6

   WildatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

7. #7

   SharksatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

8. #8

   KingsatKraken

   NHL· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

9. #9

   SabresatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

10. #10

    JetsatGolden Knights

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

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.