Worth the replay?

1. #1

   KrakenatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

2. #2

   LightningatPanthers

   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

   CanadiensatSenators

   NHL

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

4. #4

   SenatorsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   41/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41

5. #5

   SharksatGolden Knights

   NHL· NHL Net

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

6. #6

   PenguinsatSabres

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

7. #7

   DucksatKings

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

8. #8

   CapitalsatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

9. #9

   Blue JacketsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

10. #10

    BluesatBlackhawks

    NHL· NHL NetOne-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

11. #11

    AvalancheatMammoth

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

12. #12

    FlamesatOilers

    NHLOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

13. #13

    DevilsatIslanders

    NHL· ESPN+One-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

14. #14

    HurricanesatPredators

    NHL· ESPN+One-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.