Worth the replay?

1. #1

   StarsatWild

   NHL· TBS/truTV/HBO MaxOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   HurricanesatSenators

   NHL· TBS/truTV/HBO Max

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

3. #3

   PenguinsatFlyers

   NHL· TBS/truTV/HBO Max

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

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.