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Chicago Blackhawks center Patrick Sharp and Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg fight on the boards in the third period during Game 1 in the NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey series , Wednesday, June 12, 2013, in Chicago. The Blackhawks won 4-3. (AP Photo/Daily Herald, John Starks)

Blackhawks and Bruins drew largest TV audience for Game 1 of Stanley Cup finals since 1997

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Chicago’s 4-3 triple-overtime win over Boston attracted the most TV viewers for an opening game of the Stanley Cup finals in 16 years.

NBC’s broadcast averaged 6.358 million viewers, the most to watch a Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals since Detroit and Philadelphia drew 9,000 more on FOX in 1997.

It marked an increase of 119 per cent compared to the Stanley Cup finals series opener last year with the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils.

NBC is averaging more than 3 million viewers during the playoffs, an increase of 38 per cent compared to last year. NBC and the NBC Sports Network are combining to average 1.191 million viewers for each game, an increase of seven per cent versus last year.

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