Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final set ratings and viewership highs.
Wednesday’s Blues-Bruins Stanley Cup Final Game 7 earned a 4.9 rating and 8.72 million viewers on NBC, up a tick in ratings and 2% in viewership from Bruins-Canucks in 2011 (4.8, 8.54M) and up 14% and 9% respectively from Penguins-Red Wings in 2009 (4.3, 7.99M), the two previous game sevens.
The Blues’ comfortable win, which peaked with 10.4 million viewers from 10:15-10:30 PM ET, ranks as the highest rated and most-watched NHL game in at least 25 years (dating back to 1994). The previous highs were set by Bruins-Canucks in ’11.
Including their Game 6 loss to Chicago in 2013, the Bruins have played in three of the top four NHL games dating back to ’94.
Going back further, only three NHL games dating back to 1966 are listed as having had a larger audience: Canadiens-Blackhawks Game 6 in 1973 (9.41M), Bruins-Rangers Game 6 in 1972 (10.93M) and Canadiens-Blackhawks Game 7 in 1971 (12.41M). Keep in mind — as NBC noted in a Thursday press release — that records prior to 1994 are difficult to verify.
Game 7 had a streaming audience of 192,000 viewers, an NHL record on NBC Sports’ digital platforms. Across TV and streaming, the game had 8.91 million viewers.
The game had a 2.7 rating in adults 18-49, down 21% from 2011 (3.4), but the highest NHL rating in the demo since Lightning-Blackhawks Game 6 in 2015 (2.8).
It also scored a 2.3 in adults 18-34 and a 3.2 in adults 25-54; comparable figures in 2011 were not available.
Highest rated, most-watched NHL games (1994-present)
| # | Highest Rated | # | Most-Watched | ||||||
| Year | Game | Rtg | Net | Year | Game | Vwrs | Net | ||
| 1 | 2019 | STL-BOS Gm. 7 | 4.9 | NBC | 1 | 2019 | STL-BOS Gm. 7 | 8.72M | NBC |
| 2 | 2011 | BOS-VAN Gm. 7 | 4.8 | NBC | 2 | 2011 | BOS-VAN Gm. 7 | 8.54M | NBC |
| 3 | 2013 | CHI-BOS Gm. 6 | 4.7 | NBC | 3 | 2010 | CHI-PHI Gm. 6 | 8.28M | NBC |
| 4 | 2010 | CHI-PHI Gm. 6 | 4.7 | NBC | 4 | 2013 | CHI-BOS Gm. 6 | 8.16M | NBC |
| 5 | 2003 | ANA-NJ Gm. 7 | 4.6 | ABC | 5 | 2015 | TB-CHI Gm. 6 | 8.01M | NBC |
| 6 | 2015 | TB-CHI Gm. 6 | 4.4 | NBC | 6 | 2009 | PIT-DET Gm. 7 | 7.99M | NBC |
| 7 | 2009 | PIT-DET Gm. 7 | 4.3 | NBC | 7 | 2003 | ANA-NJ Gm. 7 | 7.17M | ABC |
| T8 | five games tied* | 4.2 | ABC | 8 | 2017 | PIT-NSH Gm. 6 | 6.99M | NBC | |
| 9 | 2001 | NJ-COL Gm. 7 | 6.95M | ABC | |||||
| 10 | 2002 | CAR-DET Gm. 5 | 6.85M | ABC | |||||
* Flames-Lightning Game 7 in 2004; Hurricanes-Red Wings Game 5 in 2002; Devils-Avalanche Game 7 in 2001; Games 5 and 6 of Stars-Devils in 2000.
[Numbers from NBC Sports PR 6.13, Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 6.13]
