A double-overtime Game 7 thriller delivered big numbers for NBCSN.
Thursday’s Senators-Penguins NHL Eastern Conference final Game 7 earned a 1.7 rating and 2.9 million viewers on NBCSN, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 13% in ratings and 16% in viewership from Lightning-Penguins last year (1.5, 2.5M) but down 11% in both measures from Lightning-Rangers in 2015 (1.9, 3.3M).
The Penguins’ double-overtime win, which peaked with 4.2 million viewers from 11:15-11:30 PM ET, delivered the fourth-largest NHL audience ever on NBCSN outside of the Stanley Cup Final. Pittsburgh has played in four of the top nine, three of which came during their four-game loss to Boston in 2013.
Including the Cup Final, Game 7 ranks as the network’s most-watched game involving a Canadian team, topping Canucks-Bruins Game 3 in 2011 (2.8M).
Figures do not include the 95,000 who streamed coverage on NBC Sports digital platforms, bringing the total audience up to 3.0 million viewers.
Game 7 earned a 29.7 rating in Pittsburgh, up 9% from last year’s Game 7 (27.2) and the market’s highest ever for the NHL on NBCSN. The previous high was a 28.2 for Game 2 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Entering the Stanley Cup Final, the postseason has averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.10 million viewers across the NBC family of networks, with the conference finals averaging a 1.1 and 1.76 million. Including streaming, the full postseason has averaged 1.13 million (+8%) and the conference finals 1.81 million (+4%).
Though up from last year, it is worth noting that the averages trail 2015 — the last time the Blackhawks made it out of the first round. Postseason viewership is down just 2% (from 1.12M) but conference final viewership sank 21% from 2.2 million.
(Thu. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
