Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DucksatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 20) = 51

2. #2

   SharksatWild

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 11

3. #3

   Blue JacketsatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 8

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.