NBC'S INAUGURAL 2013 NHL COVERAGE DELIVERS HIGHEST REGULAR-SEASON OVERNIGHT RATING IN MORE THAN A DECADE, EXCLUDING WINTER CLASSICS

Regional Coverage of Blackhawks-Kings & Penguins-Flyers Scores 2.0 Overnight, Best for Non-Winter Classic Regular-Season Game on NBC Since Coverage Began in 2006 & Best on Any Network Since 2002

Coverage up 67% vs. 2011-12 NHL on NBC Regular-Season Average

Pittsburgh (19.4), Philadelphia (7.8) & Chicago (6.6) post best non-Winter Classic Regular-Season Games Ever on NBC

NEW YORK - January 20, 2013 - There was a clear thirst for the return of the NHL as yesterday's two-game regional coverage on NBC scored a 2.0 overnight rating (3:30-6:15 p.m. ET), resulting in a host of records and milestones, according to official data released today by The Nielsen Company. The 2.0 overnight was (excluding Winter Classics):

· the highest overnight rating for regular-season coverage in more than a decade;

· the highest overnight for regular-season coverage on NBC since its recent coverage of the league began in 2006;

· a 67-percent increase compared to last year's 2011-12 regular-season average;

· an 82-percent increase vs. last year's coverage during the comparable weekend;

· Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Chicago scored record local ratings.

NBC Sports' coverage consisted of the Chicago Blackhawks at Los Angeles Kings, which saw the Blackhawks handily defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings, 5-2, and the Pittsburgh Penguins victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1, as well as a half-hour pre-game show that featured the Kings championship banner raising.

The 2.0 overnight was the best for any regular-season game on any network, excluding Winter Classics, since a 2.3 overnight for three-game regional on ABC (1/12/02), also making it the best on NBC since the network began broadcasting the NHL again in 2006.

The 2.0 overnight was up 67% compared to last year's 2011-12 NHL on NBC regular-season average (1.2), which includes the 2012 Winter Classic, and up 82% vs. coverage during the comparable weekend last year, which featured Chicago-Detroit (1.1; 1/14/12; overtime).

The overnight ratings for Pittsburgh (19.4), Philadelphia (7.8) and Chicago (6.6) were NBC's best-ever in those markets for the NHL regular season, excluding Winter Classics. The 1.5 rating for Los Angeles was best for that market, excluding Winter Classics, since NBC's NHL regional telecast on March 4, 2007 (Colo-Det/Phil-Pitt/Caro-Atl; 1.8).

TOP FIVE MARKETS (Rating/Share)
Pittsburgh 19.4/38
Philadelphia 7.8/16
Chicago 6.6/15
Buffalo 6.6/13
Boston 2.5/6

With the games concluding between 6-6:15 p.m. ET, including what was a one-goal game for much of that time between the Penguins and Flyers, the coverage peaked at a 2.9 rating. Pre-game coverage (3-3:30 p.m. ET), which primarily consisted of the Kings championship banner raising, drew a 1.4 overnight.

SATURDAY'S "NHL ON NBC" BROADCAST IS MOST-WATCHED FOR NHL REGULAR-SEASON IN 14 YEARS, EXCLUDING WINTER CLASSICS

Regional Coverage of Chi-L.A. & Pit-Phi Scores 2.77 Million Viewers, Best Non-Winter Classic Regular-Season on Any Network Since 1999

Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, & Phoenix All Score Record Ratings across NBC or NBC Sports Network

NEW YORK - January 23, 2013 - NBC's coverage of the NHL on Saturday produced the league's most-watched regular-season broadcast in 14 years, excluding Winter Classics, according to official national data released today by The Nielsen Company.

Regional coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks at Los Angeles Kings, which saw the Blackhawks handily defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings, 5-2, and the Pittsburgh Penguins victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1, was watched by 2.77 million viewers (1.6 HH rating).

Excluding Winter Classics, it is the most-watched NHL regular-season coverage on NBC since the network again began broadcasting the league in 2006, and the most-watched since three-game regional coverage on Fox in 1999 (4/18/99, 3.09 million).

The coverage on NBC (3:25-6:09 p.m. ET) peaked at 3.82 million viewers in the final minutes of the broadcast when most viewers were watching a one-goal Penguins-Flyers game. The Penguins scored an empty-net goal in the game's final two minutes.

LOCAL RECORDS & MILESTONES

In addition to Saturday's national success, eight markets set local ratings records or milestones for NHL regular-season coverage that aired either on NBC or NBC Sports Network, Saturday-Tuesday, excluding Winter Classics.

· Buffalo scored a 22.3 for the Sabres 5-2 victory over the Flyers on Sunday on NBC.

· Columbus posted a 2.5 rating for Monday night's game on NBC Sports Network, which saw the Red Wings defeat the Blue Jackets, 4-3, in a dramatic shootout.

· Phoenix posted a 1.44 on Sunday night for the Blackhawks 6-4 win over the Coyotes on NBC Sports Network.

· New York posted a 0.77 for last night's Devils 3-0 win over the Flyers on NBC Sports Network, which is the market's best delivery on the channel for a Devils game in which they did not play either the Rangers or Islanders.

As previously announced, Pittsburgh (19.4), Philadelphia (7.8) and Chicago (6.6) scored best-ever NBC ratings in those markets for the NHL regular season for Saturday's games, excluding Winter Classics. The 1.5 rating for Los Angeles for Saturday's game was best for that market, excluding Winter Classics, since NBC's NHL regional telecast on March 4, 2007 (Col-Det/Phi-Pit/Car-Atl; 1.8), and the market's best-ever on NBC for a Kings game.

Final national ratings and viewership for Sunday's Flyers-Sabres game on NBC, as well as Monday's Red Wings-Blue Jackets game and last night's Flyers-Devils game on NBC Sports Network, were not available at the time of this release.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com