Blackhawks-Red Wings sets NBC record
Wednesday night's NHL playoff game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings had a 2.1 U.S. rating and had 3.4 million viewers, according to Sports Business Daily.
The rating was NBC Sports Network's highest for an NHL game and the viewership ranked third.
It was the highest-rated NHL Conference Semifinal game ever on cable, dating back to 1994. It was also the highest-rated non-Stanley Cup Final on cable since the Red Wings-Colorado Avalanche Western Conference Finals Game 6 in 2002.
NBC Sports Network's only Conference Semifinal Game 7 last year was the New York Rangers-Washington Capitals matchup, which had a 1.0 rating and 1.7 million viewers.
Wednesday night's game drew a 17.2 local rating in Chicago, the best ever for an NHL broadcast on NBC Sports Network. It also received a 15.0 local rating in Detroit.
Tuesday night's Los Angeles Kings-San Jose Sharks Game 7 on NBC Sports Network averaged 1.4 million viewers, the most-viewed Western Conference semifinal on cable -- not involving the Red Wings or Blackhawks -- since 2001.
The 24 conference semifinal games on NBC, NBC Sports Network and CNBC combined to average 1.5 million viewers this year, the most-viewed round dating back to 1994.
NBC averaged 2.3 million viewers for its games, which is 27 percent higher than last year's 1.8 million. NBC Sports Network averaged 1.4 million viewers for the conference semifinals, an increase of 12 percent. CNBC's viewership was up 207 percent from last year.
