Chicago’s 2-1 Game 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night posted the highest overnight rating for a Stanley Cup Final Game 1, which ended in regulation in 18 years.
With a 4.23 metered market rating the ‘Hawks win ranks as NBC’s second-best Stanley Cup Final Game 1 overnight ever, behind only the 2013 triple-overtime Game 1 between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks (4.9 overnight).
The 4.23-metered market rating is up 11 percent compared to last year’s Rangers-Kings Game 1 (3.82; OT).
Locally, the Blackhawks’ 2-1 come from behind victory produced a 28.0 HH rating, the third highest ever in Chicago for a Blackhawks game on NBC. Only the Stanley Cup Final-clinching Game 6 matchups in 2013 and 2010 rated higher.
The 28.0 overnight rating for Game 1 was up 12 percent compared to 2013 (25.1), and 66 percent in comparison to Game 1 of the 2010 final (16.9).
Wednesday’s Game 1 produced a 17.9 rating in the Tampa Bay market, the highest rating ever in Tampa for a Lightning game on an NBC network. The game was up 50 percent compared to last Friday’s Eastern Conference Final Game 7 against the New York Rangers on NBCSN (11.9). It was up 47 percent on Game 1 of the Lightning’s last Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2004 against the Calgary Flames (12.2; ESPN).
Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final goes Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. ET on NBC.