Stanley Cup Playoffs Set 17-Year Viewership Record for Cable

2014 playoffs are most-watched since 1997 on cable

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are definitely scoring on the viewership front.

The 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs are now the most-watched NHL playoffs on cable in 17 years, following Wednesday night’s Game 4 between the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, which averaged 3.383 million total viewers on  NBCSN.

See photos: Hollywood Gets Hockey Fever as the LA Kings Close in on the Cup

All told, the 77 playoff games that have aired on NBCSN and CNBC have averaged 1.098 million viewers, placing it as the most-watched NHL playoffs since the 1997 series, which averaged 1.211 million viewers on ESPN and ESPN2.

Through four games, the Stanley Cup Final has averaged 4.652 million total viewers, making it the second-most watched Stanley Cup Final through four games since 2002, trailing behind only last year’s final, which averaged 5.341 million viewers after four games.

Also read: HBO Hopes There’s an Audience for Hockey

Not surprisingly, New York and Los Angeles were the top two markets for Wednesday night’s Game 4. New York led the charge with an 8.1 rating, while Los Angeles followed with a 7.3 rating.

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