Worth the replay?

1. #1

   IslandersatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   A

   82/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 71) = 82

2. #2

   MammothatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   79/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.79 (pre-game Watchability 58) = 79

3. #3

   SenatorsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 64) = 75

4. #4

   CapitalsatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.80 (pre-game Watchability 60) = 44

5. #5

   CanucksatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 4) = 30

6. #6

   SabresatDucks

   NHL· Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 46) = 22

7. #7

   CanadiensatStars

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.90 (pre-game Watchability 80) = 22

8. #8

   BruinsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 63) = 20

9. #9

   BlackhawksatRed Wings

   NHL· Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 2) = 19

10. #10

    Blue JacketsatHurricanes

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    16/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension16/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 53) = 16

11. #11

    JetsatLightning

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension8/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 31) = 12

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.