Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Red WingsatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 35) = 68

2. #2

   Maple LeafsatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 27) = 25

3. #3

   KingsatRangers

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.72 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 9

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.