Worth the replay?

Thursday, September 25's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
MammothatGolden Knights
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#2
IslandersatRangers
NHL· NHL NetDown to the wire
B
65/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late11/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65
#3
StarsatWild
NHL· ESPN+
C
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings20/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45
#4
SabresatRed Wings
NHLOne-sided
D
12/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12
#5
FlyersatCapitals
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#6
Maple LeafsatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

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.