Worth the replay?

1. #1

   SharksatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40) = 70

2. #2

   SabresatCanadiens

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 46) = 62

3. #3

   BruinsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 73) = 54

4. #4

   RangersatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 47) = 45

5. #5

   SenatorsatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 38

6. #6

   HurricanesatJets

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 45) = 31

7. #7

   IslandersatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.79 (pre-game Watchability 59) = 30

8. #8

   CanucksatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 7) = 22

9. #9

   DevilsatCapitals

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 70) = 20

10. #10

    OilersatMammoth

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback3/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.98 (pre-game Watchability 95) = 13

11. #11

    BluesatPredators

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback6/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.61 (pre-game Watchability 22) = 13

12. #12

    KrakenatPanthers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 31) = 7

13. #13

    PenguinsatGolden Knights

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 39) = 5

14. #14

    StarsatBlackhawks

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 33) = 4

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.