Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers Was Most-Viewed Game One of a First-Round Stanley Cup Playoff Game on Record on Cable and Delivered 1.04 Million Viewers; Peaked at 1.5 Million Viewers

The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs returned to ESPN and ESPN2 this week, getting off to a strong start with the first two nights’ eight telecasts averaging 610,000 viewers – an increase of 15% over the opening two playoff nights in 2019.

Back to back in the first two nights of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, ESPN had the most-viewed Game One of a first-round NHL Playoff on cable in 20 years with the Boston Bruins at the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, and surpassed that number with last night’s electric Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers triple-overtime matchup. Bruins-Hurricanes delivered 857,000 viewers, a 15% increase over the comparable game in 2021.

Tuesday’s Penguins-Rangers game was the most-viewed Game One of a first-round Stanley Cup Playoff game on record on cable (data since 1994). The game averaged 1.04 million viewers – up 35% versus the comparable game in 2021 – with viewership peaking at 1.5 million.

Monday’s Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs matchup on ESPN2 averaged 466,000 viewers – up 115% versus the comparable game in 2021. Tuesday’s ESPN2 games saw the Washington Capitals at Florida Panthers up 32% versus the comparable game in 2021 with an of average 348,000 viewers and the Dallas Stars at Calgary Flames up 6% versus the comparable game in 2021, averaging 261,000 viewers.

All ESPN and ESPN2 round one games of the NHL Playoffs coexist with local RSN game presentations.

COURTESY NHLmedia.com