Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
NBC's Hockey Day In America was on Sunday afternoon, and it's the only day on the network's hockey calendar where they broadcast games on a regional basis.
Hey, guess what? It's working.
Via Puck The Media, ratings were up 17 percent in the regional broadcast "window" from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on NBC. Three games were broadcast in that window: Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo, San Jose vs. Detroit and St. Louis vs. Chicago. Most of the United States saw the Sharks vs. Red Wings matchup, in which the Wings home winning streak reached 23 games.
The overnight rating for that window came in at 1.4/3, the second-best overnight since NBC took over national coverage post-lockout, excluding the Winter Classic. The top-ranking overnight rating was the first day of NBC coverage following the lockout in January 2006, according to PTM.
On the flip side, the 3 p.m. nationally broadcast game was down 17 percent in the ratings, pulling in a 1.0/2. You didn't expect the Bruins and Wild to live up to the Penguins and Blackhawks, did you? Just another reason Minnesota probably won't be getting a Winter Classic soon.
All-in-all, though, it's good news for the NHL and NBC, and it probably bodes well for more regionally-based telecasts in the future.
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