Airing for the second straight week in primetime, the Stanley Cup Playoffs on NBC tied a 15-year high in the overnights on Saturday.
Game 1 of the Penguins/Bruins NHL Eastern Conference final drew a 2.5 overnight rating on NBC, tied as the highest overnight for any Stanley Cup playoff game (excluding the Stanley Cup Final) since 1998. The only other game to draw as high an overnight was Game 6 of the Capitals/Bruins first round series last year.
Excluding the Stanley Cup Final, the four highest rated playoff games on NBC in the metered markets have involved the Penguins and Bruins.
NBC’s first primetime game of the playoffs — Red Wings/Blackhawks Game 5 the previous Saturday night — earned a 2.0 overnight.
Locally, Game 1 drew a 23.2 rating in Pittsburgh and a 19.6 in Boston. Keep in mind that the Red Sox were playing Yankees on FOX Saturday night.
Top Overnights For Stanley Cup Playoffs on NBC
Excluding the Stanley Cup Final
(Saturday’s numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
