Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HurricanesatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A+

   100/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 1.00 (pre-game Watchability 100) = 100

2. #2

   Cavaliersat76ers

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   81/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.91 (pre-game Watchability 81) = 81

3. #3

   RangersatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.83 (pre-game Watchability 66) = 70

4. #4

   James MadisonatApp State

   CFB· ESPNUOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 33) = 66

5. #5

   East CarolinaatMemphis

   CFB· ESPN2OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 66

6. #6

   MammothatKraken

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

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.77 (pre-game Watchability 53) = 55

7. #7

   KingsatIslanders

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

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 54

8. #8

   JetsatStars

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 49

9. #9

   PatriotsatBears

   NFL· Prime Video

   C

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.98 (pre-game Watchability 97) = 45

10. #10

    NuggetsatThunder

    NBA· ESPN

    D

    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension9/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 63) = 27

11. #11

    WildatFlames

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension25/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback6/20

    Decided late8/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 13) = 25

12. #12

    SharksatSenators

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback8/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40) = 20

13. #13

    DucksatDevils

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    16/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension16/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 16

14. #14

    Golden KnightsatBlues

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 9

15. #15

    PanthersatPenguins

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 64) = 8

16. #16

    PredatorsatBruins

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 25) = 5

17. #17

    Red WingsatCanucks

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 8) = 4

18. #18

    LibertyatKennesaw St

    CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

    D

    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings3/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 2

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.