Hot pucks: Stanley Cup Game 3 soars

Averages 1.9 in 18-49s on NBC, triple last year

By Toni Fitzgerald
MediaLife.com
May 29, 2008

Hockey’s postseason comeback continues. Two nights after Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals became the most-watched program ever on Versus, with 2.61 million total viewers, Game 3 on NBC saw ratings soar over last year’s dismal performance.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings averaged a 1.9 adults 18-49 Nielsen overnight rating from 8 to 11 p.m.(ET)  As a reminder, overnight ratings measure timeslot and not actual program data, so the numbers will adjust when final numbers are released later today.

But it’s safe to say that Game 3 got a major bump compared with last year. The 2007 Game 3 averaged an NBC record-low 0.6 rating, less than a third of what last night’s game pulled.

The Stanley Cup game was also up in total viewers, from 1.63 million last year to 4.46 million this year.

This year’s game had one notable advantage in that it aired on a weeknight instead of a Saturday, when viewing levels tend to be low. But it also furthers a trend already seen in these playoffs.

Game viewership has been up double-digit percentages for both Versus and NBC in the postseason. Many predicted that this year’s Stanley Cup would see especially strong ratings because it pits two classic hockey towns, Detroit and Pittsburgh, which have each won multiple titles in the last two decades.

Every game thus far has at least doubled viewership for the comparable finals game last year. But even with the big improvements, NBC still finished fourth for the evening.

Stanley Cup hockey trumped the NBA playoffs Wednesday in the Motor City .. and Detroit has a team in both.
Pittsburgh's 3-2 win over the Red Wings earned an 18.2 rating in Detroit, beating out the 15.9 rating for the Pistons' matchup with the Boston Celtics.