4/30 – Rangers/Capitals Opens with 1.5 Overnight on NBC

Despite featuring the #1 market Rangers against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, Saturday’s Stanley Cup playoff action on NBC could not keep up the red-hot ratings momentum of the first round. Game 1 of the Capitals/Rangers Stanley Cup playoff series drew a 1.5 overnight rating on NBC Saturday afternoon, according to USA Today — even with Bruins/Flyers Game 1 last year (1.5), and down a tick from Flyers/Bruins Game 1 in 2010 (1.6). The game aired directly opposite the Knicks’ NBA playoff game against the Heat on ABC. So far this postseason, all three Saturday afternoon games on NBC — Capitals/Bruins Game 2, Capitals/Bruins Game 5, and Captials/Rangers Game 1 — have drawn a 1.5 overnight. By contrast, three of the network’s four Sunday afternoon games have drawn overnights of 2.3 (PIT/PHI G3), 2.4 (PIT/PHI G6) and 2.5 (BOS/WSH G6). The lone exception was Predators/Red Wings Game 3, which drew a 1.5.