The NHL delivered a 12-year high for a first-round matchup on Saturday. The Boston Bruins’ 2-1 overtime win in Game 7 over the Toronto Maple Leafs averaged 3.24 million viewers on ABC. Per Sports Media Watch, that’s a 12-year high for a first-round matchup. Back in 2012, the Bruins’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 6 averaged 3.52 million viewers on NBC.
The only other first-round window to top Sunday’s game was a 1993 regional window, which averaged 3.32 million viewers on ABC.
This is the second straight year a Bruins Game 7 has drawn a strong number. Last year, Boston’s loss to the Florida Panthers in the first round averaged 3.10 million viewers on TNT.
The other Game 7 this past weekend didn’t fare as well. The Dallas Stars’ 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights averaged 1.99 million viewers across TNT and truTV, which was actually down from Seattle-Colorado last year (2.02 million).
On Sunday, ESPN aired Game 1 of the Hurricanes-Rangers second-round series, which averaged two million viewers. It’s the most-watched second-round Game 1 ever on cable.
With the first round in the books, ESPN announced its coverage was up 17% for the opening round games this season. averaging 1.03 million viewers across all networks. It’s an encouraging sign for the network and the league that it will experience continued growth as the postseason continues.
