NHL playoffs Game 7 gets record ratings on NBCSN

The NHL has always struggled to gain footing in arenas and television sets around the USA. In the Western Conference Finals, we had two of the biggest markets in Chicago and Los Angeles dueling it out for a chance at the Cup. Thanks to that matchup of the last two Cup winners, NBC Sports Network had its biggest night ever in the ratings column, according to the Puck Daddy blog at Yahoo Sports.

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Game 7 between the Chicago Blackhawks and LA Kings drew a 3.17 national rating from its secluded corner of the cable TV guide, which beat out last year’s record performance in Game 3 of the Cup Finals between the Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins.

Even more impressive is the local rating for Chicago, which was an absurd 22.7. Los Angeles sported a 4.8 rating while Buffalo sported a 7.3, which was good enough for second in the local ratings. It almost seems a shame that Chicago lost after more than one fifth of the city’s televisions were tuned into the game this past Sunday, but that’s sports for you.

And how about Buffalo?

Say what you want, but there is no American city that loves it some hockey the way Buffalo does. That city holds the worst team in the league by a mile. Do they care? Nope, turn on the hockey. Just you watch. They’ll be right back there in the top five ratings-wise for the Cup Finals.

The Stanley Cup Finals begin on Wednesday, June 4th at 8PM EST. NBC Sports Network will once again air Games 3 and 4 in New York while all other games will be broadcast on NBC, so they’ll have a chance to beat those ratings then.