Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DucksatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

2. #2

   SabresatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN

   C

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

3. #3

   TimberwolvesatSpurs

   NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   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.