Game 4 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final delivered big numbers. The Carolina Hurricanes’ 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday drew 5.3 million viewers on ABC.
What We Know: The Game 4 audience is the largest since Pittsburgh-Nashville in 2017 on NBC. It also rose 104% over Game 4 of the 2025 Final on TNT Sports and 74% versus Game 4 of the 2024 Final on ABC. Moreover, viewership peaked at 6.4 million between 10:30–10:45 p.m. Through four games, ESPN’s coverage is averaging 5 million viewers — the best such mark since 2015 and fourth-best since 1994.
What The Data Shows: Stanley Cup Viewership Data (Last Three Years – 2024 (EDM vs FLA) | 2025 (EDM vs FLA) | 2026 (LVK v CAR)
| Game # | 2024 Average Viewership (Network) | 2025 Average Viewership (Network) | 2026 Average 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) | 5.0M (ABC) |
| 4 | 3.10M (ABC) | 2.60M (TNT) | 5.3M (ABC) |
| 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 series is proving to be a genuine ratings success story for ESPN. Comparatively, game 1 was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final opener since 2019, Game 2 the best since 2015, and Game 3 the best since 2002. Moreover, 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.
