Viewership for Cup Final rematch remains low in U.S.

Viewership for the Panthers-Oilers Stanley Cup Final rematch continues to rank on the low side in the United States.

Friday’s Game 2 and Monday’s Game 3 of the Panthers-Oilers NHL Stanley Cup Final averaged 2.5 and 2.3 million viewers respectively across TNT and truTV, down north of 30 percent from last year’s equivalent games featuring the same two teams, which aired on ABC (3.6 and 3.4 million respectively).

Compared to the last time TNT Sports aired the Stanley Cup Final — Panthers-Golden Knights two years ago — Game 2 increased slightly from 2.4 million and Game 3 declined 13% from 2.7 million.

Monday’s Game 3, a five-goal Florida blowout, was the least-watched Game 3 of a Cup Final since the COVID-delayed 2020 “bubble” — when Lightning-Stars drew 1.16 million on NBCSN in the fourth week of September. Excluding that anomalous circumstance, it was the least-watched Game 3 since Devils-Kings on NBCSN in 2012 (1.74M).

Overall, Game 3 delivered the smallest Cup Final audience since Canadiens-Lightning Game 2 on NBCSN in 2021, which was also pushed back due to COVID (1.69M).

As is always the case when the Stanley Cup Final includes a Canadian team, the negative impact on U.S. viewership is being countered by stronger-than-usual viewing in Canada. Games 2 and 3 averaged 4.80 and 3.69 million viewers respectively in Canada, up 32 and 4 percent respectively from last year, bringing the combined U.S. and Canadian audience up to 7.28 and 6.02 million respectively.

Compared to last year, the combined audience increased slightly for Game 2 (from 7.1M) and declined slightly in Game 3 (from 6.5M).