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Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:06 pm EDT

Game 5 averages 5.8 million viewers before marathon OTs

By Greg Wyshynski

Hey Tiger: Guess people do give a damn about hockey these days. Sports Media Watch reports a 3.8 ratings and a 6 share overnight rating for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins, averaging 5.8 million viewers and allowing NBC to tie for the lead in adults 18-49 with CBS with a 2.5/7. Ratings were up 52 percent over last postseason's Wednesday night Game 5 between the Ducks and Senators.

Here's the kicker: The ratings don't even include nearly any of the classic game's multiple overtimes, and hockey's ratings grew as the night went on: In the 10 p.m. hour, Game 5 snagged a 4.1/7 while the premiere of "The Mole" on ABC garnered just a 3.4/6. (Now, if it had been "Celebrity Mole"...)

These fast ratings could still fluctuate, but it's rather clear that the Stanley Cup finals held their own and excelled on a Monday night in prime time. If anyone has a cell-phone video of Gary Bettman doing a cartwheel when these numbers were released, we'll gladly run it.

It appears the NHL has found the formula for ratings success; now it just has to figure out a way to get the Wings and the Penguins into the Stanley Cup finals every year. Shouldn't be too hard: Judging from the comments about officiating in our live blog last night, many fans believe the fix is in already. Check out more NHL television news from Steve Lepore and Eye on the Media.

UPDATE (2:15 p.m.) -- Sports Media Watch offers revised numbers for Game 5: "... 4.3/8 overnight last night, up 72% from a 2.5 for last year's clinching Game 5, which was played on a Wednesday. The rating peaked with a 5.8/10 from 11:00-11:30 PM."

Related: Stanley Cup Playoffs, Gary Bettman, Commissioner for Life, When Hockey and Hollywood Collide

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43 Comments

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  1. cindy
    1. Posted by cindy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

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    Well first off I want to say NBC sucks! Too many comercials, and they were totally one-sided! I expected aniy minute for them to come out with pom-poms for the penguins! Not to mentioin the time-out hand jesters from the one between the benches! Also the refs calling the penalties- like thke 2 in overtime against the Wings. The penguins coach was crying about Osgood taking a flop the other night, when he was mowed down behind the net. fleury did a couple of real flops last night. Lets play Hockey and quit your whining!!! It's too bad they did'nt win it in Detroit, but that's okay they'll win on Wednesday and we can still party in Detroit!!! GO WINGS
  2. atimebandit
    2. Posted by atimebandit Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    Tracey...why don't you admit it was a great game and very exciting instead of crying in your River Rouge Water..... The refs let them play for the most part, and the damage was done by the high stick...no denying that one! However, I will agree that the bonehead in between the benches must go...that is just stupid. The wings are a great team. They just got beat in a great game...
  3. Black & Gold Italian
    3. Posted by Black & Gold Italian Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

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    You better get a beach towel for all those tears!
  4. Handzus20
    4. Posted by Handzus20 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    I'm not even a Pens fan, I'm a Flyers fan, but jeez, you can't run into the goalie even if it is overtime. Especially that second one, and the announcers tried to defend it. The penalties they called in the ot were deserved. Overall it was a great game
  5. cindy
    5. Posted by cindy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

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    Oh I'm not crying I'm just stating facts! You can keep your towels you'll be needing them when we carry the CUP home Wed. night. See you at the parade. GO WINGS!!!
  6. jkrdevil
    6. Posted by jkrdevil Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm EDT

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    nhl live reported that the game overall got a 4.3 rating (which would be about 6.45 million viewers) so it appears that the ratings rose as the game went on into the early morning.
  7. Michael Blue Eyes
    7. Posted by Michael Blue Eyes Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

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    NBC sucks? When ESPN had hockey in was horrible. Gary Thorne couldn't even tell you who had the puck. If ESPN was doing this series and Dallas Drake had the puck, he tell you it's Peter Sykora. You must have just started watching hockey because they do a decent job. They are no TSN or CBC, but who is. This rating gives facts for people like Mike Tirico who called the NHL opening the season in Europe as "a Joke". Maybe crap like PTI and all the other garbage that ESPN shows will finally acknowledge the NHL instead of pounding their NBA into every naive sports fan's head. It's a shame that 2 huge NBA markets like Boston and LA are in the gangsta finals or else the world would see how insignificant the NBA is and how relevant the NHL is.
  8. Josh
    8. Posted by Josh Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    Tracey
    What part of this don't you understand?
    Rule 78 Protection of Goalkeeper:
    In all cases in which an attacking player initiates other than incidental contact with a goalkeeper, whether or not the goalkeeper is inside or outside the goal crease, and whether or not a goal is scored, the offensive player will receive a penalty (minor or major, as the Referee deems appropriate).
    We both know that neither situation was "incidental" last night because both Detriot players crashed the net trying to score, thus running into the goalie.
    And as far as saying the announcers are for the Pens,maybe you didn't even watch the game because all they did was defend Detriot. I think Olczyk has a man-crush on Zetterberg.
  9. norticus
    9. Posted by norticus Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:27 pm EDT

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    No surprise that handzus20 is a Flyers fan because he has no idea what he's talking about. Any hockey fan with a brain in their skull knows those calls were atrocious, not to mention they were called by the ref that was furthest away from the play which is just ridiculous. And the phantom tripping call on Datsyuk to negate a Wings PP? What a clown show put on by the refs last night. I bet good ol' Gary was loving it though.
    Yeah the Wings blew it because Frazen made a weak clearing attempt, that doesn't excuse the laughable officiating. Am I watching the NHL or the NBA? Because the NHL reffing is getting to that horrible level.
  10. GregM
    10. Posted by GregM Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    eddie o is so sore about being fired as pittsburgh's head coach. he turned to a life of hard drugs, and [profane]ty broadcasting.
  11. cindy
    11. Posted by cindy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

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    knute_rockne2000 Yes I did watch the game I watch every game the Wings play! No they did not purposely attack Fleury. He took the flops and they only got the calls because the penguins coach has been whining the whole series!! According to your nickname there, I think you were watching the wrong sport{MR FOOTBALL} p.s. I don't like notre dame either!!! GO WINGS GO MICHIGAN
  12. Ma-Ha
    12. Posted by Ma-Ha Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    It was a great game. Made me feel young again!!! Lets Go Pens! Lets Go Pens!
  13. redemption_value
    13. Posted by redemption_value Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    I agree with tracey about the too many commercials. I'd also add that the EDGE sp_rm blasting bimbos and jet packed nose invaders has probably ensured every female viewer that watched the coverage that users of the product are sicko freaks to be avoided. As such I'll not be buying the product. It may sell well in a man on man situation though?
    tracey As for the two calls against the Pens they are Penalties if you don't have control of the puck and you check the goalie. You get off if you have the puck. Draper would have had the next goalie interference call except he stopped short of checking Fluery. Lesson learned stop if you lose the puck. Check out handzus20 opinion, I think that is pretty fair minded.
    atimebandit I agree it was just a case of a great team being beat by another geat team. It could have easily gon either way. We were all lucky to see such fine hockey.
    Michael Blue Eyes I agree "NBC (play by play and analyst, excluding Eddie-O) sucks?" I don't agree "When ESPN had hockey in was horrible". The ESPN picture quality sucked but Gary Thorne could do the play by play on a badmitton game and it would be exciting. Thorne is just the best play by play man alive. I also agree the NBA and college hoops coverage on ESPN is the chief reason I don't watch ESPN.
  14. Handzus20
    14. Posted by Handzus20 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    norticus, any moron (except you apparently) can see a blatant penalty when one happens. You can't run into the goalie and you can't hit a guy in the face with a stick. How about Detroit getting away with tackling the Pens in front of the net during regulation or the hooking penalty that led to the Wings tying it at 2 that was actually a stick hold the other way?. Stop crying because the Wings lost and get over it. They lost on their own.
  15. AJ
    15. Posted by AJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    the ref calls even themselves out over a series..the better team always wins in a best out of 7
    the refs have been horrible all play-offs long for every team so stop crying and just enjoy ! RATINGS ARE UP BABY...I LOVE THIS GAME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  16. AJ
    16. Posted by AJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    Mike Emrich is the best this sport has ever heard !
  17. Teresa C
    17. Posted by Teresa C Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:00 pm EDT

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    58 shots on goal against 32 shots on goal. That is not the officials fault the wings could not score. The red wings had a power play in overtime and got nothing. Both teams had an equal number of penalties. I still don't see what you are whining about.
  18. AJ
    18. Posted by AJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    Teresa C.......EXACTLY MY POINT...it all evens out in the end bad call, good call , should have been , could have been
  19. redemption_value
    19. Posted by redemption_value Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    Yes tracey you have to let it go, it was a penalty. Only homers are going to continue to apologize for bad tactics of their players by blaming the ref. knute_rockne2000 is also correct regarding the announcers. Clearly the Pens were written off several times thoughout the course of the game, the overtime, and even after the game with post game comments.
    Oh and about the man-crush: I don't know if it because Detroit and Chicago are so close geographically, and the possibility of an intimate redezvous is made more possible for the relative close proximity of Zetterberg and Olczyk, but man-crush may be appropriate here. At least in so far as knute_rockne2000 has put it.
    norticus you need to read through tracey's comments about bad calls. You too are playing the part of homer apologist for bad Detroit play. Just drop it and we will all pretend you didn't make a fool of yourself. Oh and apologize to handzus20 so everyone here doesn't think you are an idiot.
    Again, drop it to all the homer apologists for bad play!
  20. redemption_value
    20. Posted by redemption_value Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    Mike Emrich is the best this sport has ever heard !
    AJ posted on Tuesday, Jun 3, 2008 1:40 pm EDT
    Both teams had an equal number of penalties. I still don't see what you are whining about.
    Teresa C posted on Tuesday, Jun 3, 2008 1:41 pm EDTReport Abuse
    Teresa C.......EXACTLY MY POINT...it all evens out in the end bad call, good call , should have been , could have been
    AJ posted on Tuesday, Jun 3, 2008 1:43 pm EDT
    Brevity is the soul of wit! I like Mike but Gary was my favorite. Teresa and AJ are clear and concise.
  21. Ma-Ha
    21. Posted by Ma-Ha Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    zetterberg has no skill, hes just fast
  22. Todd S.
    22. Posted by Todd S. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    #1
    Another intelligent post about whining on the ice which is openned up with a paragraph with more whine than Bourdeaux France.
    The Wings forgot to play the final 35 seconds and let the Pens back into the series.
  23. Todd S.
    23. Posted by Todd S. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    "#21
    zetterberg has no skill, hes just fast"
    ???????????????
    You must be crazy.............
  24. AJ
    24. Posted by AJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    Pavel is by far the most talented Red Wing since Stevie Y no ?
  25. Todd S.
    25. Posted by Todd S. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    #10
    "10 eddie o is so sore about being fired as pittsburgh's head coach. he turned to a life of hard drugs, and [profane]ty broadcasting"
    well noted he (in my eyes) is far from a leading source of advice on the Pens.

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