FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 26th, 2016

DAY 14 – BLACKHAWKS-BLUES GAME 7 IS NBCSN’S MOST-WATCHED FIRST-ROUND NHL PLAYOFF GAME EVER

Blackhawks-Blues Game 7 on NBCSN Averages 1.353 Million Viewers To Set First-Round Record; Peaks At 2.0 Million Viewers

CSN Chicago’s Blackhawks-Blues Telecast Delivers 19.1 Rating in Chicago – Highest-Rated Telecast in Network History 

Game 7 – (WC1) Nashville Predators at (1) Anaheim Ducks – Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN – Series Tied 3-3

NBC Sports Group Exclusive Coverage Begins in Second Round

Second Round Begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET with Game 1 of (WC1) New York Islanders at (2) Tampa Bay Lightning on NBCSN

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 26, 2016 – Monday night’s Game 7 presentation of the Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues on NBCSN averaged 1.353 million viewers to rank as the most-watched first-round game in the network’s history, as the Blues defeated the Blackhawks 3-2 to win the series and eliminate the defending Stanley Cup Champions. The game peaked at 2.0 million viewers in the final full quarter hour (11-11:15 p.m. ET). Digitally, the game finished with 11.6 million minutes streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra to rank fourth all-time among NHL games.

Locally, CSN Chicago’s presentation of Hawks-Blues Game 7 delivered a 19.1 HH rating in Chicago to rank as the most-watched telecast ever in the history of the network, dating back to 2004. Last night’s rating shattered CSN Chicago’s previous all-time high of a 13.7 HH rating for a Bulls-Pacers first-round NBA Playoff telecast (April 21, 2011).

In addition, NBC’s presentation of Game 6 of the Blackhawks-Blues series on Saturday night (8-11 p.m. ET) averaged 2.822 million viewers to rank as NBC’s most-watched first-round game in four years (BOS-WSH, 4/22/12; 3.519 million), and the fourth-best on record.

Through 13 days, the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs on cable have averaged 500,000 viewers (38 games), up 5% vs. 2015 through the same period (474,000). Digitally, the Stanley Cup Playoffs have produced 753,000 uniques and 126.4 million minutes across all Live Extra platforms, increases of 33% and 99%, respectively, vs. 2015 (566k uniques; 63k minutes).

 


WEDNESDAY NHL DOUBLEHEADER ON NBCSN INCLUDES GAME 7 OF PREDATORS-DUCKS AT 10 P.M. ET

Tomorrow’s NHL doubleheader on NBCSN features the second Game 7 of the first round, as well as the beginning of the second round. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Game 1 of the second-round matchup featuring the (WC1) New York Islanders and (2) Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by Game 7 of the (WC1) Nashville Predators and (1) Anaheim Ducks at 10 p.m. ET to conclude their first-round series.

Three-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will call tomorrow night’s Predators-Ducks Game 7 matchup from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will call tomorrow night’s Game 1 matchup between the Islanders and Lightning from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

Coverage on NBCSN begins at 6 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh alongside analysts and former players Keith Jones and Jeremy Roenick.

 

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“NHL Playoff Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage, plus information and highlights. The Pass will be published weekdays to preview that evening’s games. Friday editions will include weekend information.

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THE PASS –WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 (All times ET)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27

Time Coverage Network Commentators
6 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Jeremy Roenick,
Keith Jones
7 p.m. Game 1 – (WC1) N.Y. Islanders at (2) Tampa Bay NBCSN Kenny Albert, Brian Boucher
10 p.m. Game 7 – (WC1) Nashville at (1) Anaheim* NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

 

*subject to local blackout

All Stanley Cup Playoff games will be presented on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC and NHL Network. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide streaming coverage of games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC via “TV Everywhere.”

For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall NHL Playoff coverage, please click here.

If Islanders-Lightning runs beyond 10:10 p.m. ET, coverage of Predators-Ducks will begin on NHL Network, except in the Nashville and Anaheim markets, where Game 7 of Predators-Ducks can be viewed on their regional sports networks. In all other markets, NBCSN will join Predators-Ducks following the conclusion of Islanders-Lightning.


GAME 1 – (WC1) ISLANDERS AT (2) LIGHTNING – 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Islanders and Lightning begin their second-round series Wednesday night on NBCSN in Tampa. New York defeated the Florida Panthers in six games to advance, punctuated by a 2-1 win in Game 6 in double overtime in Brooklyn on Sunday night. Isles captain John Tavares scored the game-tying goal with 53 seconds remaining in regulation, and won the game with a wraparound midway through the second OT to give New York its first playoff series win since 1993. The Lightning beat the Detroit Red Wings in five games in their first round series, led by Nikita Kucherov, who scored five goals in the series.

The only meeting in the playoffs between the Isles and Lightning took place in 2004, when Tampa Bay ousted New York in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in five games en route to winning the franchise’s lone Stanley Cup


GAME 7 – (WC1) NASHVILLE AT (1) ANAHEIM – 10 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – SERIES TIED 3-3

The Predators forced Game 7 for the first time in franchise history with a 3-1 win in Game 6 last night in Nashville, as goaltender Pekka Rinne made 26 saves and James Neal scored the eventual game-winner in the second period. The Ducks have been eliminated in Game 7 at home three years in a row, and in all three instances, they led the series 3-2. Last year, Anaheim dropped Game 7 of the Western Conference Final to the Blackhawks by a score of 5-3. The winner of tomorrow night’s Game 7 will go on to face the San Jose Sharks in the second round.

 

GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR

For the fifth consecutive year, NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC and NHL Network are combining to televise every Stanley Cup Playoff game nationally.

 

Network Games
NBC 6
NBCSN 24
USA Network 5
CNBC 10
NHL Network 2
Total 47

 

One-goal Games: 25

OT games: 7

 

COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 43 million U.S. households. NBC Sports Regional Networks serve the hometown fans of the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals, delivering extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout both teams’ playoff runs.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will stream 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff coverage via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

 

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–