NBCSN saw a ratings uptick for Capitals-Lightning last night, with Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 drawing a 1.5 overnight, up 36% from a 1.1 for the net's Predators-Ducks Game 2 last year. Meanwhile, NBC on Saturday night earned a 1.9 overnight for the Jets’ Game 1 win over the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. That is down slightly from a 2.0 overnight last year, which saw the Senators defeat the Penguins 2-1 in OT (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).
STRONG TO DATE: Thursday night's Jets-Predators Game 7 concluded the most-watched Second Round in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Jets-Predators Game 7 drew a total audience delivery of 1.61 million viewers across NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, making it the most-watched Western Conference Semifinals game since Blackhawks-Wild on May 7, 2015, drew 1.69 million viewers. For 24 games through the second round across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, the conference semifinal round averaged a TAD of 1.57 million viewers, making it the best second round on record and up 15% compared to last season's 1.37 million viewers. For the complete playoffs to date (66 games), NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, Golf Channel, USA Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app have averaged a TAD of 1.07 million viewers, the best since 1.150 million in '12 and up 8% from the same point last season (Ian Thomas, Staff Writer). In Nashville, Mike Organ noted Jets-Predators Game 7 also drew a 13.2 local TV rating in Nashville, which is a "franchise record for a first- or second-round playoff game" in the market (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/12).
FOUR SCORE: SI.com's Eric Single wrote the NHL "needs this unexpected final four" of the Golden Knights, Jets, Capitals and Lightning. Hockey’s best advertisement today is the "rabid enthusiasm with which fans have embraced relatively new arrivals" in the Golden Knights and Jets and the "consistently electric atmospheres" for the Lightning and Capitals (SI.com, 5/11). In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro wrote it is a "remarkable thing to ponder" the presence of the Jets in the playoffs, as they are "on the doorstep of playing for Canada's first Cup in a quarter century." It is "almost hard to believe." Even "more amazing is the instant rise" of the Golden Knights, who a "year ago didn't exist." They are the "greatest expansion team ever" (N.Y. POST, 5/13).
