Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Maple LeafsatCanadiens

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   BlackhawksatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   Golden KnightsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

4. #4

   CanadiensatMaple Leafs

   NHL

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

5. #5

   StarsatBlues

   NHL

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

6. #6

   CanucksatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

7. #7

   JetsatOilers

   NHLOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

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.