NHL: Ratings spike for Bruins-Leafs, first-round playoff games

The Boston Bruins' overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 on Saturday was the most-watched first-round playoff game across North America on record, the NHL said Tuesday.

Shown on multiple platforms -- ABC, CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports -- the Bruins' 2-1 clincher in the Eastern Conference series drew 8.82 million viewers.

The ABC telecast drew an average of 3.22 million viewers -- peaking at 4.1 million -- making it the most-watched first-round game since 2012 and third highest ever. The average and peak figures were increases of 59 and 37 percent from Game 7 of the first-round series between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils last season.

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs was available in the United States on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, truTV and MAX. The average viewership of 934,000 was second highest all-time for the first round.

Including all of North America with CBC, SN and TVA Sports coverage, the first round averaged 2.26 million, a 6 percent increase from the 2023 playoffs.

The Rangers' 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on ESPN on Sunday in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs averaged 2 million viewers and peaked at 2.7 million. Those figures were increases of 49 and 33 percent from the Game 1, second-round average last season.