Bruins-Rangers Draws NBC’s Second Best Numbers of the Season

Sunday nights continued to be a good innovation for the NHL On NBC Sports Network, as a Bruins-Rangers telecast this Sunday turned into big numbers.

After a game earlier in the day on NBC between the Pens and Flyers that tied for the highest overnight rating for an April regular season game since 2000, the Boston-New York showdown drew 664,000 viewers. This marked the best numbers for NBCSN/VERSUS since opening night, and the sixth-best number for an NHL regular season game since they began covering the sport as OLN in 2005.

The game scored a 4.9 in Boston, up 86% from the 2.6 average the Bruins have gotten for prior NBCSN telecasts this season. It hit a 1.4 rating in the New York market, up 82% from the season average for Rangers games (0.7). NBCSN was #1 on cable and #3 overall on Boston TV Sunday night. Eight of the 10 most-watched games on NBC Sports Network this season have occurred on either Sunday or Wednesday.

Other NBCSN numbers from last week:

• A double-dip of the Lightning provided mixed results. Monday’s Tampa-Philadelphia game drew 411,000 viewers, while Tuesday Bolts-Bruins match-up scored only 188,000. It should come as a surprise to no one that the former was available on NBCSN in Philly, while the latter was blacked out on NBCSN in Boston.
• A not terrible 337,000 viewers tuned into the dead in the water Columbus Blue Jackets beating the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night.

(Sources: NBC Sports, John Ourand)

October 6
7:00 Boston vs. Philadelphia – 874,000
10:00 Pittsburgh vs. Vancouver – 342,000

October 7
1:00 NY Rangers vs. Los Angeles – 101,000

October 8
1:00 NY Rangers vs. Anaheim – 124,000

October 10
7:00 Tampa Bay vs. Washington – 162,000

October 11
7:30 Florida vs. Pittsburgh – 216,000

October 12
7:30 Boston vs. Carolina – 312,000

October 17
7:30 Colorado vs. Toronto – 218,000

October 18
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota – 286,000

October 25
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Buffalo – 338,000

October 31
7:00 San Jose vs. NY Rangers – 169,000

November 1
7:30 Anaheim vs. Washington – 258,000

November 2
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Buffalo – 558,000

November 7
7:30 NY Islanders vs. Boston – 195,000

November 8
7:30 Carolina vs. New Jersey – 241,000

November 9
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay – 411,000

November 14
7:00 Buffalo vs. Montreal – 323,000

November 15
7:30 Colorado vs. Pittsburgh – 392,000

November 16
7:30 New Jersey vs. Buffalo – 285,000

November 21
7:30 NY Islanders vs. Pittsburgh – 198,000

November 22
7:30 Los Angeles vs. St. Louis – 245,000

November 28
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota – 232,000

November 29
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. NY Rangers – 394,000

November 30
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Detroit – 393,000

December 5
8:00 Phoenix vs. Chicago – 302,000 viewers

December 6
7:30 Detroit vs. St. Louis – 259,000

December 7
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Buffalo – 585,000

December 12
7:30 New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay – 201,000

December 13
9:00 San Jose vs. Colorado – 193,000

December 14
7:30 Chicago vs. Minnesota – 540,000

December 19
7:30 Anaheim vs. Dallas – 149,000

December 20
7:30 Chicago vs. Pittsburgh – 634,000

December 21
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Dallas – 462,000

December 26
7:30 Dallas vs. St. Louis – 270,000

December 27
7:30 St. Louis vs. Detroit – 195,000

December 28
7:30 NY Rangers vs. Washington – 327,000

January 2
8:00 San Jose vs. Vancouver – 267,000

January 3
8:00 Detroit vs. Dallas – 188,000

January 4
7:30 Boston vs. New Jersey – 435,000

January 8
7:30 Detroit vs. Chicago – 587,000 

January 10
7:30 San Jose vs. Minnesota – 237,000 

January 11
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. Washington – 526,000

January 15
7:30 NY Rangers vs. Montreal – 202,000

January 16
7:30 Dallas vs. St. Louis – 238,000

January 17
7:30 Nashville vs. NY Rangers – 224,000

January 18
7:30 Buffalo vs. Chicago – 466,000 

January 23
7:30 St. Louis vs. Detroit – 429,000 

January 24
9:00 Minnesota vs. Colorado – 190,000

January 25
7:30 Detroit vs. Montreal – 241,000

January 28
7:00 Super-Skills Competition – 1.1 million

January 29
4:00 All-Star Game – 1.3 million

January 31
7:30 Washington vs. Tampa Bay – 264,000

February 1
7:30 NY Rangers vs. Buffalo – 478,000

February 5
12:30 Boston vs. Washington – 455,000

February 6
8:00 Detroit vs. Phoenix – 263,000

February 7
7:30 Los Angeles vs. Tampa Bay – 155,000

February 8
7:30 Boston vs. Buffalo – 455,000

February 12
7:30 Philadelphia vs. Detroit – 600,000

February 13
7:30 San Jose vs. Washington – 351,000

February 14
7:30 Anaheim vs. Minnesota – 173,000

February 15
7:30 Boston vs. Montreal – 417,000 

February 19
6:00 New Jersey vs. Montreal – 203,000

February 20
7:30 Washington vs. Carolina – 171,000

February 21
8:00 Detroit vs. Chicago – 228,000 

February 22
9:00 Los Angeles vs. Colorado – 166,000 

February 26
7:00 Chicago vs. Anaheim – 370,000 

February 27
7:30 New Jersey vs. NY Rangers – 287,000

February 28
7:30 Los Angeles vs. Minnesota – 156,000 

February 29
7:30 Pittsburgh vs. Dallas – 456,000 

March 6
9:00 Minnesota vs. Colorado – 167,000 

March 11
8:00 Los Angeles vs. Chicago – 397,000

March 12
9:00 Anaheim vs. Colorado – 180,000

March 13
7:30 Carolina vs. NY Rangers – 292,000

March 14
7:30 Colorado vs. Buffalo – 366,000

March 15
7:00 Pittsburgh vs. NY Rangers – 195,000

March 18
7:00 Washington vs. Chicago – 411,000 

March 26
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia – 411,000

March 27
7:30 Tampa Bay vs. Boston – 188,000

March 28
7:30 Detroit vs. Columbus – 337,000

April 1
7:00 Boston vs. NY Rangers – 664,000 

10 Most-watched Games on NBCSN This Season
1. Boston vs. Philadelphia (10/6/11) – 874,000
2. Boston vs. NY Rangers (4/1/12) – 664,000
3. Chicago vs. Pittsburgh (12/20/11) – 634,000
4. Philadelphia vs. Detroit (2/12/12) – 600,000
5. Detroit vs. Chicago (1/8/12) – 587,000
6. Philadelphia vs. Buffalo (12/7/11) – 585,000
7. Philadelphia vs. Buffalo (11/2/11) – 558,000
8. Chicago vs. Minnesota (12/14/11) – 540,000
9. Pittsburgh vs. Washington (1/11/12) – 526,000
10. NY Rangers vs. Buffalo (2/1/12) – 478,000

10 Least-watched Games on NBCSN this Season

1. NY Rangers vs. Los Angeles (10/7/11)* – 101,000
2. NY Rangers vs. Anaheim (10/8/11)* – 124,000
3. Anaheim vs. Dallas (12/19/11) – 149,000 
4. Los Angeles vs. Tampa Bay (2/7/12) – 155,000
5. Los Angeles vs. Minnesota (2/28/12) – 156,000 
6. Tampa Bay vs. Washington* (10/10/11) – 162,000
7. Los Angeles vs. Colorado (2/22/12) – 166,000
8. Minnesota vs. Colorado (3/6/12) – 167,000 
9. San Jose vs. NY Rangers* (10/31/11) – 169,000
10. Washington vs. Carolina* (2/20/12) – 171,000

*-was blacked out in one or both of the home markets.

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Milbury Apologizes For Philadelphia Radio Comments

As we have a few times this season, the hockey media world is once again discussing something Mike Milbury said. He appeared on a Philadelphia radio station (WIP Sports Radio 94) to talk about the brawl late in Sunday’s Flyers-Pens game yesterday and described Sidney Crosby as “a little punk” and “a goody two shoes”, while saying that Pens coach Dan Bylsma should’ve “taken off his skirt” and spoken to Flyers coach Peter Laviolette instead of his assistant, Tony Granato.

Milbury offered an apology for his comments on Tuesday, saying the following:

“I reached out to David Morehouse and the Penguins about the comments I made yesterday on Philadelphia radio. In hindsight, I realize what I said was inappropriate and wrong, and I want to apologize to the Penguins organization and their fans.”

Milbury has been an analyst for NBC since 2007, and the NBC Sports Network since 2011 when it was known as VERSUS.

NHL On NBC Playoff Schedule Through May 7th

Saturday, April 14 – 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 15 – 12 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 15 – 3 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 21 – 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 22 – 12 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 22 – 3 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 28 – 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 29 – 3 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 5 – 12:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 6 – 3 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET Starts Will Return This Year

Last year, during the Conference Semifinals, a couple of games from the Washington-Tampa Bay series were played at 6:30 p.m. ET, so they could be paired up with games from the Nashville-Vancouver series for doubleheaders. The practice was considered largely inoffensive, and considering the networks often will make teams from the central and pacific time zone play well before 7 p.m. local time, seems like turnabout is fair play.

Looks as if this practice will return for 2012, which is a good idea, since anywhere from 4-5 teams in the Western Conference playoffs could be from the Eastern and Central time zones. The story’s from Elliotte Friedman:

Don’t be surprised if you see some 6:30 p.m. local starts on weekdays in the playoffs, so the league can get a staggered finish or two.

NHL Network Will Announce the Playoff Schedule on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET

The NHL typically ends it’s seasons on a Sunday, with games ending around 7 or 8 p.m. ET, so that the Stanley Cup Playoff schedules can be released before the night is out. The NHL season will not end until the conclusion of the Los Angeles Kings-San Jose Sharks game this Saturday night/Sunday morning at approx. 1:00 a.m. ET, and that game will likely have playoff implications. So the NHL will do something a tad different this year.

Last year, and in most years past, the NHL Network had an On the Fly after all the games were over to announce the schedule for the Conference Quarterfinals. This year, the NHL Network will air NHL Tonight: 2012 Playoff Scheduling Show this Sunday, April 8th at 1 p.m. ET. The show will then rerun through various dayparts.

Playoff scheduling is more interesting than ever this year, with every game to be televised on multiple networks in both the United States (NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, NHL Net) and in Canada (CBC, TSN, TSN2).

(Source: NHL Network)