Stanley Cup Playoff Viewership Across Networks Of NBCUniversal Continues To Be Best In Four Years

NBC Sports' coverage of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs across the networks of NBCUniversal is averaging a Total Audience Delivery of 751,000 viewers through Sunday, the best in four years through the first 12 days of the playoffs. Coverage on NBC is the best since 2015, while cable coverage on NBCSN is the best in six years. Live streaming of the first 12 days of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has set records in all key metrics.

Total Audience Delivery (TAD) for 39 games across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, Golf Channel, USA Network, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app has averaged 751,000 viewers. It is the best average viewership through 12 days since 2014 (786,000 viewers), is up 1% from last year (743,000), and up 6% vs. 2016 (710,000). The household rating for the playoffs on television through five days is a 0.44.

First Round coverage of six telecasts on NBC, which concluded this past weekend, averaged a TAD of 1.905 million viewers, the best since 2015 (1.921 million), and up 15% vs. 2017 (1.653). NBC averaged a 1.13 household rating, up 13% vs. last year (1.00).

Sunday afternoon's Game 6 between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on NBC is the most-watched game of the playoffs to date, averaging a TAD of 2.383 million viewers, the best afternoon First Round game in four years, and up 37% vs. the comparable game last year (Ott-Bos). TV-only viewership peaked with 3.132 million viewers from 5:30-5:45 pm ET.

NBCSN is averaging a TAD of 668,000 viewers for 20 games through 12 days, the best since 2012(691,000 viewers) and up 9% vs. last year (596,000).

Also of note, primetime coverage of Toronto-Boston on NBC on Saturday night tied for No. 1 among the big four networks in Adults 18-49 with a 0.6 rating in the demo. Overall, the game averaged a TAD of nearly two million viewers (1.919 million).

Through the first 13 days of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs (41 games), including last night's two Game 6 matchups, live streaming coverage has set records for uniques (1.2 million; up 56%), total live minutes (165 million; up 23%), and Average Minute Audience (22,800 viewers; up 35%).

Following are the Top 10 local markets through the first 12 days of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

1	Pittsburgh	2.50
2	Buffalo	2.02
3	Nashville	1.63
4	Boston	1.16
5	Providence	1.02
6	Tampa	0.96
7	Columbus, OH	0.95
t8	Ft. Myers	0.90
t8	Wash, DC	0.90
10	Denver	0.89

DAY 14

First Round coverage of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs concludes tomorrow night as the Boston Bruins host the Toronto Maple Leafs in a decisive Game 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage begins with NHL LIVE at 6:30 p.m. ET. There are no games tonight.

(3) TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS AT (2) BOSTON BRUINS - GAME 7 AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Toronto scored three straight goals and Frederik Andersen made 32 saves as the Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins, 3-1, on Monday to force a Game 7. Through six games, Boston's David Pastrnak leads all players with four goals and 11 points. A victory on Wednesday would mark the first time since 1942 that the Maple Leafs overcame a 3-1 series deficit and won Game 7.

This marks the fourth Game 7 between the two franchises all-time and the first since 2013, when the Bruins dramatically defeated the Maple Leafs, 5-4, in overtime to advance to the Second Round. Boston scored three goals in the third period of the CONTEST and Patrice Bergeron netted the game-winner in extra time as the Bruins became the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 after trailing by three in the third period.

Five-time Emmy Award-winner Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), former NHL player, coach and general manager Mike Milbury (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire ('Inside-the-Glass' analyst) will call Game 7 from TD Garden in Boston, Mass.

NHL ON NBC ANALYSTS JEREMY ROENICK AND KEITH JONES PREVIEW GAME 7

Last night on NHL LIVE on NBCSN, NHL on NBC analysts Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones, and host Liam McHugh discussed Wednesday's Game 7 matchup between the Maple Leafs and Bruins, including potential lineup changes for Boston following losses in Games 5 and 6. Following are excerpts from their conversation following Boston's 3-1 loss to Toronto in Game 6. Click here to watch the full segment.

Jones: "Tommy Wingels has had a nice season and has played with a lot of effort. But Ryan Donato is sitting there, he's in the stands wearing a suit, and you might want to put him in a uniform. They need a different look right now, and Donato can score. He was productive at the end of the season. It might be time to throw him in a Game 7 situation."

McHugh: "You would do that. Do you think (head coach Bruce Cassidy) will do that in Game 7?"

Jones: "I have my doubts that he will, but right now, the offense has dried up. You need something to happen. That's what that kid was signed for. He can score goals, and he should be nice and fresh."

Roenick: "I totally agree with you. It was shocking to see that Tommy Wingels was in this game. You need grit, there's no question, you need character guys, but you need goals...Danton Heinen was also sitting in the stands and he's had a fantastic season scoring goals."

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