Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DevilsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.77 (pre-game Watchability 54) = 70

2. #2

   SabresatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 45) = 62

3. #3

   CapitalsatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 87) = 60

4. #4

   KrakenatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 28) = 49

5. #5

   PenguinsatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 14) = 42

6. #6

   AvalancheatStars

   NHL· ESPN

   C

   40/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 99) = 40

7. #7

   FlamesatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   39/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.50 (pre-game Watchability 0) = 39

8. #8

   BruinsatSharks

   NHL· ESPN

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.84 (pre-game Watchability 68) = 36

9. #9

   Maple LeafsatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 74) = 23

10. #10

    Golden KnightsatPredators

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 48) = 20

11. #11

    PanthersatBlue Jackets

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback8/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65) = 19

12. #12

    LightningatRangers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension6/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 19

13. #13

    WildatJets

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 39) = 18

14. #14

    CanucksatIslanders

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension17/30

    Swings13/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 5) = 17

15. #15

    OilersatKings

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.91 (pre-game Watchability 82) = 12

16. #16

    BluesatSenators

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.62 (pre-game Watchability 23) = 5

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.