Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LightningatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   A+

   88/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.96 (pre-game Watchability 93) = 88

2. #2

   SabresatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.80 (pre-game Watchability 60) = 74

3. #3

   Golden KnightsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 61) = 59

4. #4

   SharksatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 63) = 46

5. #5

   PredatorsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 12) = 45

6. #6

   DucksatFlyers

   NHL· NHL Net

   C

   40/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 20) = 40

7. #7

   KingsatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 53) = 32

8. #8

   RangersatSenators

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 64) = 32

9. #9

   Maple LeafsatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 13

10. #10

    Red WingsatFlames

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 5) = 11

11. #11

    WildatKraken

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 63) = 9

12. #12

    HurricanesatBlues

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 75) = 6

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.