Close out games involving big market teams generated on NBCSN and CNBC.
Game 7 of the Rangers/Penguins second round Stanley Cup playoff series earned nearly 2.0 million viewers on NBCSN Tuesday night, the third-largest audience ever for a second round game on the network (previously VERSUS and OLN). Only Red Wings/Blackhawks Game 6 last year (2.7M) and Game 7 of the same series (3.4M) earned a larger audience.
Viewership peaked at 3.1 million from 9:30-9:45 PM ET. Locally, the game earned a 19.3 rating in Pittsburgh and a 5.8 in New York, the latter a record for a second round game on NBCSN.
Over on CNBC, Game 6 between the Blackhawks and Wild drew 1.8 million viewers — the largest audience ever for an NHL game on the network. The previous high was 1.7 million for Game 5 of the same series on Sunday.
Overall, Blackhawks/Wild earned the tenth-largest second round audience on cable since the NHL left ESPN in 2005. Nine of the sixteen most-watched second round games have taken place this season.
(Tue. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
