Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
No, the Americans couldn't pull out the victory like they did against the Soviet Union back in 1980 and there was no Millercle on Ice this time around. But don't mention that to NBC, as they're likely on cloud nine today thanks to likely the biggest rating hockey has seen since the Miracle.
From Sports Media Watch:
The Canada/USA Olympic Men's Hockey Gold Medal game drew a 17.6 overnight rating on NBC Sunday afternoon, up 46% from the '02 Gold Medal game, which featured the same two teams.
Overnight ratings for the 2006 Gold Medal game were unavailable.
Sunday's game is on pace to finish as the highest rated hockey telecast in the United States since 1980.
To put the numbers in perspective, Sunday's game drew a higher overnight rating than every World Series game since 2004 (including every game of Yankees/Phillies last year), every NBA Finals telecast since 1998, and every NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four game since at least '98.
Excluding the NFL, the 17.6 overnight for the game is the second-highest of the year for any sporting event, behind only the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game in January (18.2).
Will national unity equate into more fans for the NHL? Only time will tell, of course, but there's one thing we do know. If the professional American players who won silver yesterday want to go for gold in Sochi, the NHL will have to get a bump from these Games. That alone might be a miracle.
(H/T Puck The Media)
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