Stanley Cup Final ratings hit another three-year high on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s Capitals-Golden Knights NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 2 earned a 2.0 rating and 3.6 million viewers on NBCSN, up 11% in ratings and 15% in viewership from Predators-Penguins last year (1.8, 3.2M) and up 43% and 46% respectively from Sharks-Penguins in 2016 (1.4, 2.5M).
Washington’s series-tying win, which peaked with 4.7 million viewers from 10:45-11 PM ET, had a streaming audience of 140,000 on NBC Sports’ digital platforms — the largest ever for an NHL game. Combined, the TV and streaming audience of 3.79 million increased 16% from last year (3.28M) and 47% from 2016 (2.58M).
Ratings and viewership were the highest for a Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final since 2015, when Blackhawks-Lightning aired on NBC after The Belmont Stakes (3.9, 6.5M), marking the second straight game in the series to hit a three-year high.
In addition, Game 2 was the highest rated and most-watched Cup Final game on NBCSN since the same 2015 series. That year, Lightning-Blackhawks Games 3 and 4 each had a 2.2 rating and 3.9 million viewers.
Overall, Wednesday’s game delivered the fifth-largest Cup Final audience ever on NBCSN, which was previously VERSUS and OLN (25 telecasts).
Game 2 declined 31% in ratings and 30% in viewership from Monday’s Game 1 on NBC (2.9, 5.2M). While sizable, that is the smallest drop from NBC to NBCSN since 2011, when Game 3 of Canucks-Bruins fell 27% and 23% respectively from the preceding Game 2.
In the key young adult demographics, Game 2 increased a tick in adults 18-49 (from 1.2 to 1.3) and adults 18-34 (from 1.0 to 1.1). It was the night’s highest rated show on television in both demographics.
Historical Stanley Cup Final ratings are available here.
Game 2 Stanley Cup Final Ratings, Past Decade
