Hockey Day in America was a mixed bag in the ratings.
Sunday’s Rangers-Penguins NHL regular season game, part of Hockey Day in America, scored a 0.7 rating and 1.09 million viewers on NBC — down 22% in ratings and 20% in viewership from Flyers-Rangers last year, which led into the Olympics (0.9, 1.36M), but up 17% and 13% respectively from 2017 (Capitals-Rangers: 0.6, 963K).
Pittsburgh’s win was the most-watched early game on Hockey Day in America since 2013 (Penguins-Sabres: 1.72M)
Later in the day, Blues-Wild had a 0.6 and 886,000 — down 25% in ratings and 30% in viewership from 2017 (Red Wings-Penguins: 0.7, 1.26M). There was no comparable window last year.
The Blues’ rout was the least-watched Hockey Day game ever on NBC, regardless of timeslot.
On NBCSN, Flyers-Red Wings rounded out the day’s action with a 0.25 and 421,000 — down 24% in ratings and 25% in viewership from 2017 (Blackhawks-Sabres: 0.33, 560K).
Shifting to the workweek, Blackhawks-Red Wings scored 500,000 viewers on the latest edition of NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Hockey — up 13% from 2017 (Capitals-Flyers: 444K) and the most-watched game on cable since December 19 (Penguins-Capitals: 697K). Ratings were not immediately available.
Chicago’s overtime win marked Mike Tirico‘s first NHL play-by-play assignment.
The Bruins-Golden Knights nightcap had 312,000. On Tuesday night, Maple Leafs-Blues scored 288,000 (+22% over 2017). On Monday, Lightning-Blue Jackets drew 281,000 and Bruins-Sharks 184,000.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 2.20 a, b; 2.21 a, b]
