Worth the replay?

1. #1

   KingsatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   CapitalsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPNDown to the wire

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

3. #3

   AvalancheatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

4. #4

   PenguinsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

5. #5

   HurricanesatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

6. #6

   DucksatWild

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

7. #7

   CanadiensatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   39/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension27/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39

8. #8

   JetsatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

9. #9

   DevilsatBruins

   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.