Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LightningatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   Golden KnightsatSharks

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

3. #3

   PanthersatHurricanes

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

4. #4

   OilersatJets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

5. #5

   IslandersatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+Big comeback

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

6. #6

   Red WingsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

7. #7

   FlyersatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

8. #8

   MammothatKings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   CanucksatFlames

   NHLOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

10. #10

    Blue JacketsatSabres

    NHLOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

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.