Best games of Sep 29–Oct 5

The most dramatic games of the week, ranked the same way as Worth the replay?: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime, weighted by how big a game it was. No scores, no winners.

  1. #1
    BruinsatJets
    NHL· Fri, Oct 2· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    73/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

  2. #2
    CanucksatOilers
    NHL· Tue, Sep 29· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    73/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

  3. #3
    KingsatSharks
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

  4. #4
    CanadiensatPenguins
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

  5. #5
    FlyersatDevils
    NHL· Thu, Oct 1· Disney+/ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  6. #6
    PanthersatSharks
    NHL· Thu, Oct 1· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    63/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

  7. #7
    HurricanesatFlyers
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

  8. #8
    PanthersatDucks
    NHL· Sun, Oct 4· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    58/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

  9. #9
    BlackhawksatSabres
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    52/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late7/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

  10. #10
    JetsatPenguins
    NHL· Mon, Oct 5· ESPN+
    C+
    49/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension23/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late7/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

  11. #11
    PanthersatHurricanes
    NHL· Tue, Sep 29· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire
    C+
    48/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

  12. #12
    SenatorsatMaple Leafs
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· ESPN+
    C
    42/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension21/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

  13. #13
    KrakenatOilers
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· NHL NetDown to the wire
    C
    42/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

  14. #14
    RangersatBruins
    NHL· Tue, Sep 29· ESPNDown to the wire
    C
    38/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late11/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

  15. #15
    FlamesatCanucks
    NHL· Sat, Oct 3· ESPN+
    C
    37/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37

  16. #16
    SabresatBlue Jackets
    NHL· Thu, Oct 1· ESPN+
    C
    36/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension21/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

Updated nightly. Games from before our pre-game Watchability numbers start (early September) use an estimate from the AP rankings for college football and an average for the rest.