Worth the replay?

Saturday, November 8'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
KrakenatBlues
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#2
DucksatGolden Knights
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings24/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#3
Blue JacketsatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#4
SenatorsatFlyers
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
56/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56
#5
PenguinsatDevils
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
C+
53/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53
#6
StarsatPredators
NHL· ESPN+Back and forth
C+
49/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings20/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49
#7
MammothatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+
C
40/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings15/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40
#8
CapitalsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+
C
38/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings13/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38
#9
BruinsatMaple Leafs
NHL· ESPN+
C
36/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings11/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36
#10
SabresatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+
D
33/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings16/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33
#11
PanthersatSharks
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
#12
IslandersatRangers
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
#13
AvalancheatOilers
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.