Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LightningatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A+

   97/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 99) = 97

2. #2

   DevilsatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   A

   79/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.80 (pre-game Watchability 60) = 79

3. #3

   MammothatSenators

   NHL· NHL NetDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 74) = 61

4. #4

   CanadiensatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 83) = 34

5. #5

   BluesatPredators

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 38) = 33

6. #6

   PanthersatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 91) = 30

7. #7

   SharksatStars

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.61 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 17

8. #8

   RangersatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 14

9. #9

   PenguinsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 10

10. #10

    CanucksatOilers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension8/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 14) = 9

11. #11

    Red WingsatAvalanche

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 45) = 4

12. #12

    BlackhawksatHurricanes

    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 0.58 (pre-game Watchability 16) = 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.