Worth the replay?

Sunday, September 20'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
CapitalsatBruins
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#2
KrakenatFlames
NHL· NHL NetDown to the wire
C
43/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43
#3
IslandersatDevils
NHL· NHL Net
D
34/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings11/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34
#4
HurricanesatPanthers
NHL· ESPN+
D
30/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings23/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30
#5
PredatorsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#6
SharksatDucks
NHLOne-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings11/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18
#7
MammothatAvalanche
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings16/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

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.