Worth the replay?

Sunday, 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
LightningatJets
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
B
57/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 49) = 57
#2
FlyersatFlames
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
C+
49/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 9) = 49
#3
Golden KnightsatSabres
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 85) = 8
#4
PenguinsatDucks
NHL· ESPN+One-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 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 49) = 8
#5
PanthersatBruins
NHL· NHL NetOne-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 89) = 7
#6
DevilsatMaple Leafs
NHL· NHL NetOne-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.90 (pre-game Watchability 81) = 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.