NBCSN's doubleheader coverage of NHL "Face-Off" on Wednesday night produced the most-watched regular-season doubleheader in the network's history. The opening night Wednesday Night Rivalry twin bill, featuring 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff rematches between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks, and the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, combined to average 696,000 viewers, up 3% percent vs. the previous record (679,000; 10/8/14; Flyers-Bruins and Sharks-Kings).
The Blues' 5-2 win over the Blackhawks (8:01-10:41 p.m. ET) averaged 905,000 viewers, making it the fifth most-watched NHL regular-season game in
NBCSN history, and peaking with nearly 1.1 million viewers (1.076 million) from 10:30-10:41 p.m. ET. It was NBCSN's most-watched regular-season game ever featuring the Blues.
San Jose's 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles (10:41 p.m.-1:18 a.m. ET) averaged 484,000 viewers, up 22% vs. the same matchup on opening night last year, and ranking as the second most-watched regular-season late game of a doubleheader (Wild-Blackhawks; 588,000, 3/20/16) in
NBCSN history.
Locally, Blues-Blackhawks produced a 6.1 rating in St. Louis to rank as the market's second most-watched Blues game ever on NBCSN. Chicago produced a 5.2 rating for Blues-Blackhawks, followed by San Jose (1.4) and Los Angeles (1.1) for Kings-Sharks.
Last night's Capitals-Penguins game, which featured the Penguins raising their Stanley Cup championship banner, delivered a 0.32 overnight rating, up 78% vs. the 2015-16 regular-season non-exclusive time period average (0.18). Pittsburgh posted an 8.2 local rating, making
NBCSN the No. 1 network in the market during the game, while Washington delivered a 1.3 rating.
Following an NHL record four-goal performance by 19-year-old American and 2016 Toronto Maple Leafs first overall draft pick Auston Matthews in his NHL debut Wednesday night,
NBCSN announced today it will televise live coverage of Matthews' first NHL home game this Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET, when the Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins in an Original Six showdown.
Matthews, a native of Scottsdale, Ariz., became the first player in modern history to score four goals in his NHL debut on Wednesday night against the Ottawa Senators.
NHL coverage continues tonight on
NBCSN at 8 p.m. ET in Nashville, as star defenseman P.K. Subban makes his debut with the Predators when they host the Blackhawks.
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