Worth the replay?

1. #1

   OilersatDevils

   NHL· Disney+/ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire

   A

   81/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.96 (pre-game Watchability 91) = 81

2. #2

   Golden KnightsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   A

   78/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.89 (pre-game Watchability 78) = 78

3. #3

   JetsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 28) = 64

4. #4

   MammothatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 75) = 49

5. #5

   WildatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 48) = 22

6. #6

   HurricanesatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.78 (pre-game Watchability 56) = 18

7. #7

   DucksatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 7) = 16

8. #8

   Red WingsatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 14

9. #9

   StarsatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 12

10. #10

    AvalancheatBlue Jackets

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 75) = 9

11. #11

    BluesatRangers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late1/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.67 (pre-game Watchability 34) = 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.