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

   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

3. #3

   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

4. #4

   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

5. #5

   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

6. #6

   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

7. #7

   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

8. #8

   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

9. #9

   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

10. #10

    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

11. #11

    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

12. #12

    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

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.