Worth the replay?

Thursday, October 9'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
Golden KnightsatSharks
NHL· ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#2
BlackhawksatBruins
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68
#3
SenatorsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#4
IslandersatPenguins
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
55/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55
#5
DevilsatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+/HuluDown to the wireBack and forth
C+
54/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54
#6
FlyersatPanthers
NHL· ESPN+
D
29/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings10/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29
#7
MammothatAvalanche
NHL· ESPN+
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings10/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#8
RangersatSabres
NHL· ESPN+
D
25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
#9
Blue JacketsatPredators
NHL· ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings4/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#10
StarsatJets
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
17/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension11/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17
#11
CanadiensatRed Wings
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings11/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#12
DucksatKraken
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
11/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11
#13
FlamesatCanucks
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
#14
WildatBlues
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.