No sports event ever had more people tuning in before 9 a.m. ET. Elsa / Getty Images
Despite an early-morning puck drop, an average live audience of 18.6 million fans in the U.S. tuned in Sunday morning to watch the U.S. men’s hockey team earn a gold medal in a thrilling overtime win over Canada. It was the United States’ first men’s hockey gold since the 1980 “Miracle On Ice” and aired live on NBC and Peacock.
The broadcast peaked at 26 million viewers for the game-winning goal, narrated by NBC’s Kenny Albert with: “Jack Hughes wins it! The golden goal for the United States! For the first time since the 1980 Miracle, the United States takes the gold!”
It was the most-watched sporting event with a pre-9 a.m. ET start time in U.S. history.
In NBC’s history, the game was the second-most watched hockey game in network history, trailing only behind the USA-Canada gold medal game at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which had a 3:15 p.m. ET puck drop and earned an average of 27.6 million viewers.
The women’s hockey gold medal game also drew a record-breaking audience, becoming the most-watched women’s hockey game in U.S. history. Overall, the Milan Cortina Olympics drew an average of 23.5 million daily viewers across its two weeks and the breadth of NBC’s networks, the most-watched Winter Olympics since Sochi 2014 and a 96% increase from Beijing 2022.
A rivalry that draws
The power of the Olympics and this rivalry beat the lure of a lazy Sunday morning. The fact that the United States had not won the gold since the 1980 ‘Miracle’ added to the memorable experience. While a late-afternoon or prime-time puck drop would have produced an even bigger number, the uniqueness of the moment will be enhanced by the reminder of eggs, bacon and coffee. — Andrew Marchand
Feb 24, 2026
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