The Chicago Blackhawks’ run of success resulted in one of NBC’s largest regular season NHL overnights.
Sunday’s Blackhawks/Red Wings NHL regular season game, which extended the Blackhawks’ points streak to 22 games, earned a 1.6 overnight rating on NBC — up 60% from Bruins/Rangers last year (1.0), and up 78% from Flyers/Rangers in 2011 (0.9).
Excluding the Winter Classic, the 1.6 overnight is the second-highest for a regular season NHL telecast on NBC since the network resumed airing games in the 2005-06 season. Only regional coverage on Opening Day this season (2.0) earned a better overnight.
Blackhawks/Red Wings outdrew four of the five men’s college basketball games on CBS over the weekend (Sunday’s Michigan State/Michigan game had a 1.7), but unsurprisingly trailed the NBA and NASCAR.
Locally, Sunday’s game earned a 9.7 rating in Chicago — the market’s highest of the season for any Blackhawks game, and the second-best ever for the Blackhawks on NBC.
(Sunday’s local/national numbers from Puck the Media)
