Game 2 of Pens/Caps Highest Rated 2nd Round Game in 7 Years

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 7, 2009)-VERSUS, the exclusive cable television home of the NHL, garnered a 1.2 National HH rating and averaged 1,206,855 total viewers for its Pittsburgh Penguins/Washington Capitals Game 2 Conference Semifinal telecast on Monday, May 4.  Washington’s 4-3 win over Pittsburgh, in which NHL superstars Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin each scored a hat trick, was VERSUS’ highest-rated and most-watched Conference Semifinal round game ever and was the highest-rated and most-watched second round game on cable since 2002.   

Locally, the game received a 16.1 HH rating in Pittsburgh, making VERSUS the #1 network in the market during the game and a 5.3 HH rating in Washington D.C. making VERSUS the top cable network in the market during the time period. 

VERSUS entered the 2009 postseason with double-digit viewership growth for the 2008/09 regular season as compared to the 2007/08 campaign.  Building off of the growth of the network’s best regular season ever, VERSUS is continuing the momentum by garnering its best postseason ever so far.  Through 32 total postseason games, compared to the 2008 postseason to date, the network has seen HH ratings growth of 25 percent, total viewership increase 18 percent and dramatic viewership growth for the key male demos (Men 18-49 – up 16% and Men 25-54 – up 27%).  

Game 4 of the Penguins/Capitals series will air live on VERSUS Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m. ET.