Despite the presence of a low-profile Canadian team, the NHL’s Eastern Conference final continues to trend up.
Tuesday’s Penguins-Senators NHL East final Game 6 had a 1.1 final rating and 1.8 million viewers on NBCSN, up 2% in ratings (from 1.05 to 1.07) and viewership (from 1.77M to 1.81M) compared to Penguins-Lightning last year, and down a tick and 10% respectively from Rangers-Lightning in 2015 (1.2, 2.0M). Including streaming, it had 1.9 million.
Four of the series’ six games have posted an increase in viewership, with the caveat that two aired on the NBC broadcast network (every game of last year’s series aired on cable).
The Senators’ series-tying win peaked with 2.5 million viewers from 10:45-11 PM ET. Locally, it delivered a 23.9 rating in Pittsburgh (+13%). Ottawa does not count toward U.S. television ratings.
Entering Thursday, the Stanley Cup Playoffs has averaged 1.1 million viewers across NBC Sports’ TV and digital platforms — up 6% from last year (1.0M).
(Thu. numbers via NBC Sports Group Press Box 5.25)
