Worth the replay?

Thursday, October 30'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. #1
    RangersatOilers
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    72/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

  2. #2
    FlamesatSenators
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    72/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

  3. #3
    Red WingsatKings
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    69/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

  4. #4
    CanucksatBlues
    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

  5. #5
    HeatatSpurs
    NBADown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late10/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

  6. #6
    SabresatBruins
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

  7. #7
    WarriorsatBucks
    NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late11/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

  8. #8
    StarsatLightning
    NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wire
    C+
    54/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

  9. #9
    MarshallatCoastal
    CFB· ESPN2Big comeback
    D
    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 26

  10. #10
    PenguinsatWild
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

  11. #11
    TulaneatUTSA
    CFB· ESPNOne-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 17

  12. #12
    MagicatHornets
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  13. #13
    BlackhawksatJets
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  14. #14
    PredatorsatFlyers
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  15. #15
    RavensatDolphins
    NFL· Prime VideoOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  16. #16
    WizardsatThunder
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

  17. #17
    IslandersatHurricanes
    NHL· ESPN+/HuluOne-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

  18. #18
    DevilsatSharks
    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

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.

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