The NHL conference finals got off to a mixed start on NBC.
Game 1 of the Kings/Blackhawks NHL Western Conference final earned a 1.4 final rating and 2.2 million viewers on NBC last Sunday, up 40% in ratings and 35% in viewership from Game 1 of the same series on NBCSN last year (1.0, 1.6M) and the fourth-most viewed game of the playoffs thus far (through Wednesday).
The only games to earn a larger audience this postseason were Red Wings/Bruins Game 2 (2.8M) and Blackhawks/Blues Game 6 (2.8M) in the first round (both on NBC) and Game 7 of Bruins/Canadiens in the second round on NBCSN (2.3M).
The previous day, Game 1 between the Rangers and Canadiens drew a mere 0.9 and 1.4 million — down 55 in ratings and 58% in viewership from Bruins/Penguins on NBC in primetime last year (2.0, 3.4M). The game ranks as the least-viewed NHL playoff game on NBC since 2012, when Coyotes/Kings Game 4 earned a slightly smaller audience (1.43M to 1.38M).
(Last weekend’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)
