The NHL conference finals has been largely unable to match last year’s hot pace.
The Kings/Blackhawks NHL Western Conference Finals has averaged 2.0 million viewers on NBC and NBCSN through four games, up 12% from the same series last year (1.8M). Keep in mind two of the four games aired on NBC; last year’s series did not make it onto the network until the deciding Game 5.
Game 4 of the series drew 1.7 million viewers on NBCSN Monday night, down 23% from the same matchup on the network last year (2.2M) and up 23% from Coyotes/Kings on NBC in 2012 (1.4M).
Saturday’s Game 3 earned a series-high 2.4 million in primetime on NBC, up 34% from last year on NBCSN (1.8M) and up 194% from Coyotes/Kings on NBCSN in 2012 (827K). NBC’s three primetime games last year — excluding the Stanley Cup Final — ranged from 2.9 million viewers (Red Wings/Blackhawks Game 5) to 3.8 million (Kings/Blackhawks Game 5).
Shifting to the East, the Rangers/Canadiens series has averaged 1.5 million viewers through four games, down 48% from Bruins/Penguins last year (2.9M). Last year’s series included a primetime game on NBC. Compared to the last ECF to involve a Canadian team, viewership has increased 3% over Canadiens/Flyers in 2010 (1.54M to 1.496M).
Game 4 drew 1.6 million viewers on Sunday night, down 45% from Bruins/Penguins last year (2.9M) and up 27% from Rangers/Devils in 2012 (1.3M). Thursday’s Game 3 earned a series-low 1.1 million, down 58% from Bruins/Penguins (2.8M) and down 21% from Rangers/Devils on NBC in 2012 (1.5M).
(Series averages from NBC Sports Group Press Box; recent numbers from The Futon Critic [1], [2], [3], [4])
