NBCSN on Saturday drew a 1.8 overnight rating for the Sharks' OT win over the Penguins in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, down 33% from a 2.7 overnight for Blackhawks-Lightning Game 3 last year, which aired on a Monday night. The 1.8 is down 28% from a 2.5 overnight for Kings-Rangers Game 3 in '14, which also aired on a Monday night. While the ratings nationally are down sharply for Game 3, the telecasts continue to perform well in the local markets. Pittsburgh has averaged a 28.2 local rating through three games, up slightly from a 28.1 in '09, when the Penguins last played in the Final. Game 3 on Saturday also drew a 6.2 local rating in S.F.-San Jose-Oakland, marking the best figure in the market for any Sharks game on an NBCU net (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
CUP HALF FULL: In Tampa, Tom Jones writes he was a "tad surprised that NBC decided to jettison" Game 3 to NBCSN while NBC aired reruns of "Dateline" and "Maya & Marty." ESPN anchor Linda Cohn wrote on Twitter: "NBC is showing reruns of Dateline NBC and a comedy show. Tonight's game is on NBCSN. Hard to sell the game that way.'' Meanwhile, Jones writes he cannot determine "which is better" -- NBC's Stanley Cup final coverage or ABC's NBA Finals coverage. Jones: "All I know is, this might be the golden age of broadcasting for both sports" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 6/6).
SOUND BARRIER: In Buffalo, Mike Harrington wondered what NHL Network was doing "cutting off Gary Bettman’s give-and-take with reporters Monday night in Pittsburgh to go back to studio analysts." There was "plenty of byplay ... and there was plenty of good information for fans watching too." Harrington: "Bad call by the network. You would hope the league didn’t tell them to do it" (BUFFALO NEWS, 6/5).
