The numbers would have been much stronger had the Blackhawks advanced, but Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final still did well enough for NBC.
Game 1 of the Rangers/Kings NHL Stanley Cup Final earned a 3.8 overnight rating on NBC Wednesday night, down 21% from Bruins/Blackhawks last year (4.8) but up 58% from Kings/Devils in 2012 (2.4). The 3.8 is the second-highest for a Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final since 1997, trailing only last year.
Overall, Rangers/Kings earned the fifth-highest overnight for a Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final since the NHL returned to broadcast television in 1995.
Locally, Game 1 earned a 10.1 rating in New York — up 98% from Kings/Devils in 2012 (5.1) and the highest rating ever for an NHL game on NBC or NBCSN in the market. The game earned a 7.1 in Los Angeles, up 69% from 2012 (4.2) and the market’s third-best NHL rating on NBC/NBCSN.
(Wed. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
