The Las Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes delivered a ratings bonanza for ESPN. The overtime finish for game two of the series drew 4.7 million viewers — the most-watched Stanley Cup Final Game 2 since 2015.
What We Know: The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are delivering big numbers for ESPN. Game 2 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final averaged 4.7 million viewers on ABC Thursday night. That’s up 88% compared to Game 2 of the 2025 Final on TNT/truTV and up 33% versus Game 2 of the 2024 Final on ABC. The audience peaked at 5.8 million viewers during the 10:45 p.m. quarter hour. Moreover, through two games, the 2026 Stanley Cup Final is averaging 4.725 million viewers — up 93% year-over-year. That marks the highest two-game Final average since 2015.
What The Numbers Say: Stanley Cup Viewership Data (Last Three Years – 2024 (EDM vs FLA) | 2025 (EDM vs FLA) | 2026 (LVK v CAR)
| Game # | 2024 Avg Viewership (Network) | 2025 Avg Viewership (Network) | 2026 Avg Viewership (Network) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.11M (ABC) | 2.42M (TNT) | 4.8M (ABC) |
| 2 | 3.60M (ABC) | 2.50M (TNT) | 4.7M (ABC) |
| 3 | 3.30M (ABC) | 2.30M (TNT) | TBA |
| 4 | 3.10M (ABC) | 2.60M (TNT) | TBA |
| 5 | 4.10M (ABC) | 2.70M (TNT) | TBA |
| 6 | 4.20M (ABC) | 2.80M (TNT) | TBA |
| 7 | 7.70M (ABC) | N/A | TBA |
| Series Average | 4.16M | 2.55M | TBA |
What Remains Unclear: Whether the ratings momentum holds is unknown. Additionally, it’s worth noting that ESPN’s postseason has been record-setting across the board. Moreover, the First Round and Second Round were the most-viewed of ESPN’s current rights agreement. The Western Conference Final was also the most-viewed since 2015.
What It Means: This is a big win for ESPN and the NHL heading into the back half of the Stanley Cup Final. In addition, overtime games clearly drive eyeballs, and Vegas-Carolina is delivering must-watch moments.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
