Predators/Coyotes Outdraws Kings/Blues on Round Two’s First Weekend

I don’t know if anyone puts odds on NHL television ratings, but if you bet the underdog in the battle of the Western Conference Semifinals, you’d walk away with a decent chunk of change.

Game 1 of the Los Angeles/St. Louis series drew 741,000 viewers on NBC Sports Network this Saturday night. That was actually down slightly from Game 1 of the Nashville/Phoenix series, which drew 767,000 viewers on Friday night. Kings/Blues was up 27% from last year’s comparable telecast of Predators/Canucks.

Game 2 of the Nashville/Phoenix series, meanwhile, grew from Game 1. The Sunday night telecast drew 796,000 viewers to NBC Sports Network. This was up 36% from Game 2 between Nashville and Vancouver last year. It was, however, the first night of the second round that saw lower viewer figures, as Predators/Coyotes sunk 42% from last year’s Capitals/Lightning Game 2, which went to overtime and was an exclusive. It is, however, the first conference semifinal game to crack the top ten for the post-season.

(Source: @JohnOurand)

Top 10 Most-watched Games of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Cable

1. Washington vs. Boston, Game 7 (4/25/12, NBCSN): 1.32 million
2. Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Game 5 (4/20/12, NBCSN): 1.07 million
3. Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 4 (4/18/12, NBCSN): 1.03 million
4. Ottawa vs. NY Rangers, Game 7 (4/26/12, NBCSN): 984,000
5. New Jersey vs. Florida, Game 7 (4/26/12, NBCSN): 867,000
6. NY Rangers vs. Ottawa, Game 6 (4/23/12, NBCSN): 861,000
7. Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Game 1 (4/11/12, NBCSN): 847,000
8. Los Angeles vs. Vancouver, Game 5 (4/22/12, NBCSN): 817,000
9. Boston vs. Washington, Game 3 (4/16/12, NBCSN): 804,000
10. Nashville vs. Phoenix, Game 2 (4/29/12, NBCSN): 796,000

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