Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Maple LeafsatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   SharksatBlues

   NHL· Disney+/ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

3. #3

   PredatorsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

4. #4

   FlyersatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   WildatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

6. #6

   MammothatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

7. #7

   AvalancheatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   StarsatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

9. #9

   BlackhawksatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

10. #10

    CanucksatHurricanes

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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.