Monday’s Flyers/Blackhawks Game 2 delivered one of the largest overnight ratings ever for the NHL on NBC.
The Blackhawks’ win drew a 4.1 overnight rating on NBC, up 21% from Penguins/Red Wings Game 2 on a Sunday night last year (3.4), and the highest overnight for any of the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final on broadcast since Stars/Devils Game 4 in ’00 (4.2).
This is only the fifth* time that an NHL telecast on NBC has drawn at least a 4.0 overnight, and only the third time that a non-series clinching game has hit that mark.
The 4.1 overnight is also the highest on record for a Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final — a stat that looks far less impressive when you consider that Game 2 has aired on broadcast just three times since 1975.
NBC again won the night in primetime, averaging a 2.4 rating among adults 18-49.
Chicago led all markets with a 25.1/39 for Game 2, up 49% from Game 1 (16.8/35). Philadelphia followed with an 18.5/28, up 40% from Game 1 (13.2/25).
Buffalo was the top neutral market (10.2/16), and Indianapolis — where the game was mostly preempted for coverage of the Indianapolis 500 victory banquet — was the top non-NHL market (6.3/10).
Through two games, the 2010 Stanley Cup Final is averaging a 3.5 overnight rating on NBC, up 17% from last year (3.0).
* Does not include last year’s Penguins/Red Wings Game 7. Overnight ratings were not immediately available for that game. However, considering that the game drew a 4.3 final rating, the overnight was more than likely well above a 4.0.
