Worth the replay?

1. #1

   StarsatWild

   NHL· TNT/truTV/HBO Max

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

2. #2

   Celticsat76ers

   NBA· NBCSN/Peacock

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

3. #3

   OilersatDucks

   NHL· TNT/truTV/HBO MaxOne-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

4. #4

   KnicksatHawks

   NBA· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.