Worth the replay?

1. #1

   SenatorsatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+Big comeback

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.77 (pre-game Watchability 55) = 37

2. #2

   WildatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.98 (pre-game Watchability 97) = 31

3. #3

   MammothatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 25) = 15

4. #4

   OilersatRangers

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 86) = 15

5. #5

   JetsatHurricanes

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 33) = 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.