The NHL hit a ratings milestone on NBC Sunday afternoon.
Blackhawks/Red Wings Game 1 drew an impressive 2.0/5 overnight rating on NBC Sunday afternoon, up 18% from a 1.7/4 for Flyers/Penguins Game 5 on the comparable date last year, and the highest overnight rating for an NHL telecast on broadcast — excluding the Stanley Cup Finals and the Winter Classic — since regional playoff coverage drew a 2.1/5 on ABC in April ’04.
The game drew a 7.7/19 in Chicago and a whopping 16.8/39 in Detroit.
The 2.0 even topped the 1.9 overnight CBS drew for coverage of the PGA Valero Texas Open airing at the same time, but finished behind Rockets/Lakers Game 7 on ABC, which drew a 5.6.
