The Stanley Cup Finals start tomorrow, and Versus and NBC can only hope that the NHL can keep up its ratings momentum.
Last Sunday’s deciding Game 5 of the Flyers/Penguins East Final drew 2.5 million viewers on NBC, the most for an NHL playoff telecast on broadcast since May 18, 2002, excluding the Finals.
The game finished with a 1.4 rating, even with last year’s Ducks/Red Wings Game 5.
On Saturday, Game 5 of the Red Wings/Stars series drew a 1.1 on NBC, up 22% from a 0.9 for Senators/Sabres in ’07. For the weekend, NBC averaged a 1.3 rating for NHL Conference Final games, up 8% from a 1.2 last year.
