Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, which saw the Boston Bruins defeat the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0, to claim their first championship since 1972, was watched by 8.54 million people, making it the most-watched NHL game in 38 years, according to official national data released today by The Nielsen Company. The viewership is up three percent from last year’s deciding Game 6 overtime thriller between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers and up seven percent compared to the most recent Game 7 in 2009 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.
. Last night’s Game 7 drew 8.54 million viewers (8-11:06 p.m. ET), the most for an NHL game in 38 years.
Stanley Cup Final Game 7 powers NBC to win the night in primetime among viewers, household rating, Adults 18-49 and all key male demos.
The Stanley Cup Final seven game series (Games 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 on NBC and Games 3, 4 on VERSUS) averaged 4.6 million viewers and a household rating of 2.7/5, surpassing the 2004 series (3.3 million, 2.2/4 on ABC/ESPN) as the most-watched combined network/cable Stanley Cup involving a Canadian team ever and up 39 percent from that series.
