Worth the replay?

1. #1

   WarriorsatClippers

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   StarsatSabres

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

3. #3

   Magicat76ers

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wire

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

4. #4

   SharksatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

5. #5

   KrakenatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

6. #6

   Maple LeafsatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

7. #7

   RangersatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   Red WingsatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   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.