# NHL Scoreboard Web App

A web application that displays live NHL game scores, team statistics, and game states in real-time. Retrieves data from the NHL API and surfaces the most interesting games first using a hype scoring algorithm.

## Features

- Live NHL game scores, shots on goal, and game state
- Power play indicators with live countdown clock
- Smooth period and intermission countdown clocks
- **Hype Meter** — ranks games by how exciting they are right now, factoring in:
  - Period, time remaining, and score differential
  - Late-game urgency and comeback bonuses
  - Power play situations
  - **Game importance** — boosts standings-relevant matchups late in the season, with extra weight for division and conference rivals fighting for playoff spots

## Hype Scoring

Games are sorted by a priority score combining in-game excitement and contextual importance:

| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Period & time | Later period and deeper into it = higher base score |
| Score differential | Close games rank higher; blowouts are penalized |
| Late urgency | Bonus for ties and 1-goal games in the final 12 minutes |
| Comeback | One-time spike when the trailing team scores to pull within 2 |
| Power play | Bonus for an active man advantage, scaling with game situation |
| Game importance | Season-progress × playoff-bubble proximity × rivalry multiplier (max +150 pts) |

Game importance ramps up sharply after ~game 55 of 82, peaks for teams fighting for the last wildcard spot, and applies a 1.4× bonus for division games and 1.2× for conference games.

## Technologies Used

- **Python / Flask** — backend and API polling
- **SQLite** — standings cache (refreshed every 10 minutes)
- **HTML / CSS / JavaScript** — frontend with auto-refresh every 10 seconds

## Installation

1. Clone the repository:

    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/your-username/nhl-scoreboard.git
    ```

2. Install dependencies:

    ```bash
    pip install -r requirements.txt
    ```

3. Run the application:

    ```bash
    python run.py
    ```

4. Open `http://localhost:2897` in your browser.

## Credits

Data provided by the NHL via their public API.

## License

[MIT License](LICENSE)