FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, August 2nd, 2020

CANADIENS-PENGUINS IS MOST-WATCHED NHL GAME OF 2019-20 SEASON EXCLUDING WINTER CLASSIC

Primetime OT Matchup Between Canadiens & Penguins Averages Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.572 Million Viewers on NBC; Most-Watched NHL Game Featuring a Canadian Team Ever on NBC, Excluding Winter Classics and Traditional Playoff Games

Saturday’s Two Games on NBC Combine to Average 1.361 Million Viewers; Most-Watched NHL Doubleheader on NBC in Four Years, Excluding Traditional Playoff Games

Blackhawks-Oilers Afternoon Game Averages TAD of 1.117 Million Viewers on NBC; Up 4% vs. 2019-20 Regular-Season Average on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 2, 2020 – The NHL season resumed yesterday, Saturday, Aug. 1, with five Stanley Cup Qualifier games, including two on NBC that featured Canadian teams and set viewership milestones, according to Fast National data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

MONTREAL CANADIENS – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (8-11:29 p.m. ET)

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2, in overtime last night in primetime on NBC. Viewership highlights include:

  • The game averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.572 million viewers, making it the most-watched NHL game of the 2019-20 season, excluding the Winter Classic.
  • The TAD of 1.572 million viewers was up 46% vs. the 2019-20 NHL regular-season average on NBC (1.074 million).
  • Canadiens-Penguins is the most-watched game ever on NBC to feature a Canadian team (excluding Winter Classics and traditional playoff games).
  • Viewership peaked at the start of overtime with 2.057 million TV-only viewers (11-11:15 p.m. ET).
  • The game delivered a 0.96 HH rating, up 39% vs. the 2019-20 NHL regular-season average on NBC (0.69).
  • Canadiens-Penguins ranks as the second-most streamed game of the 2019-20 NHL season with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 27,800 viewers, behind only the season-opener (Was-Stl; 38,100 viewers).

 

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – EDMONTON OILERS (3-6 p.m. ET)

The Chicago Blackhawks held a large lead for most of the game and defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 6-4, yesterday afternoon. Viewership highlights include:

  • Blackhawks-Oilers averaged a TAD of 1.117 million viewers, up 4% as compared to the 2019-20 NHL regular-season average on NBC (1.074 million).
  • Viewership peaked at the end of the game with 1.434 million TV-only viewers (5:45-6 p.m. ET).
  • The game delivered a 0.72 HH rating, up 4% vs. the 2019-20 NHL regular-season average on NBC (0.69).
  • The game ranks as the third-most streamed game of the 2019-20 NHL season with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 23,600 viewers, behind only the season-opener between Washington and St. Louis (38,100 viewers) and last night’s Canadiens-Penguins (27,800 viewers).

 

The two NBC games combined to average a TAD of 1.361 million viewers, making it the most-watched doubleheader on NBC in four years, excluding traditional playoff games.

Viewership for the three games that aired yesterday on NBCSN will be available later this week. NBC Sports is in the midst of presenting 10+ hours of NHL coverage each day for five straight days.

–NBC SPORTS–