According to a release from Sportsnet, Saturday night's matchup of the Leafs and Bruins in game 7 was the most watched game since Sportsnet took over the NHL broadcast. Nearly 12 million people tuned in to watch the game, with an average audience of over 5 million.
It's incredible to see the numbers, which actually suggest nearly 30% of the population of Canada tuned in to see a legendary Leafs collapse against the Boston Bruins. It was an incredible game, with a tight-checking shutout rolling until the third period, the Bruins comeback, and an incredible series winning goal from David Pastrnak in overtime.
It'll certainly be interesting to see if the upcoming Oilers and Canucks series will be able to surpass the total set by the Leafs and Bruins. The all-Canadian rivalry will draw plenty of viewers up north, but the late start times may decrease the total viewership nationally. With game 4 scheduled for Sunday, perhaps the NHL works in a day game for the Oilers to get them to the biggest audience possible.
If any series could surpass the instant-classic that is a Leafs and Bruins series, it'll be this all-Canadian matchup. It all starts Wednesday night at 8:00MT in Vancouver!
POLL | ||
Do you think the Oilers and Canucks series will pass the Leafs and Bruins viewership on Sportsnet? | ||
Yes, for sure | 57 | 69.5 % |
It will be close | 17 | 20.7 % |
No, definitely not | 7 | 8.5 % |
See Results | 1 | 1.2 % |
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