Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Golden KnightsatBruins

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 89) = 73

2. #2

   Red WingsatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 47) = 30

3. #3

   AvalancheatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 29) = 19

4. #4

   FlamesatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 9) = 17

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.