The Boston Bruins’ first game of the postseason attracted a massive audience in Boston.
The Bruins’ Game 1 win over the Canadiens drew a 9.4 rating on NESN in Boston Thursday night, the third-highest rated Bruins telecast ever on NESN.
To put the 9.4 rating in perspective, Game 1 of last year’s Celtics/Hawks first round NBA Playoffs series drew a 7.7 rating on CSN New England. Keep in mind that Celtics/Hawks also aired on TNT, while Bruins/Canadiens was not nationally televised. More recently, the Red Sox’ first game of the 2009 MLB season drew a 17.9 rating on NESN.
The strong rating for the Bruins’ playoff opener comes on the heels of improved ratings during the regular season. Bruins telecasts averaged a 2.5 rating locally during the 2008-09 season, up 69% from last year, and tied as the highest average ever for Bruins games on NESN.
