Worth the replay?

Monday, September 21'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
WildatBlackhawks
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#2
SenatorsatCanadiens
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
B
64/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64
#3
RangersatDevils
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C+
49/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49
#4
Red WingsatBlue Jackets
NHLOvertimeDown to the wire
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Overtime+8
Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#5
FlyersatCapitals
NHL· ESPN+
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings17/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22
#6
BluesatStars
NHLOne-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension14/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#7
SabresatPenguins
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
#8
AvalancheatJets
NHLOne-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

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.