Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MammothatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   A+

   90/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 83) = 90

2. #2

   StarsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 75) = 74

3. #3

   PredatorsatAvalanche

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

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 52) = 59

4. #4

   Golden KnightsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 53) = 55

5. #5

   BluesatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40) = 54

6. #6

   HurricanesatIslanders

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

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.86 (pre-game Watchability 73) = 54

7. #7

   FlyersatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   40/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 17) = 40

8. #8

   DucksatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.86 (pre-game Watchability 72) = 35

9. #9

   BruinsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.83 (pre-game Watchability 66) = 18

10. #10

    CanucksatJets

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.50 (pre-game Watchability 0) = 3

11. #11

    BlackhawksatLightning

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 12) = 2

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.