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[05/20/26 - 03:04 PM]
ESPN Aired Its Most Viewed 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round of the Current Rights Deal
Collectively all 11 Second Round games, with nine airing on ESPN and two on ABC, delivered 2.2 million viewers, up 76% year-over-year.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN aired its most viewed 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round of the current rights deal

· Second Round concluded with Montreal Canadiens-Buffalo Sabres Game 7, the second most-viewed Second Round game ever on cable (3 million viewers)

· Averaged 2.2 million viewers across 11 matchups

· ESPN delivered eight of the top 10 matchups across the 2026 Playoffs

· Follows record-breaking First Round viewership

ESPN has aired another record-breaking round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, capturing its most-viewed Second Round of the Playoffs in the current rights era (2021-present). The Second Round success followed a record-breaking First Round and regular season, carrying momentum into ESPN's presentation of the Western Conference Final.

Collectively all 11 Second Round games, with nine airing on ESPN and two on ABC, delivered 2.2 million viewers, up 76% year-over-year. This year topped ESPN's 2024 Second Round, the previous high-water mark (1.6 million viewers) and 2025 (1.2 million viewers).

ESPN concluded the Second Round with Montreal Canadiens-Buffalo Sabres Game 7 (3 million viewers), the second most-viewed Second Round game ever on cable. Combined with Sabres-Canadiens Game 6 (2.7 million), the games now rank as the top two matchups in the entire 2026 postseason.

In addition, ESPN saw individual growth across all Second Round games while delivering the top five matchups in the Second Round and has delivered the top eight of top 10 matchups across the entire Playoffs.

Highlights from the Second Round include:

· Top five matchups, in addition to the previously mentioned Canadiens-Sabres Game 7 (3 million) and Sabres-Canadiens Game 6 (2.7 million), Philadelphia Flyers-Carolina Hurricanes Game 1 (2.5 million), Colorado Avalanche-Minnesota Wild Game 4 (2.4 million) and Flyers-Hurricanes Game 2 (2.3 million).

· Second most-viewed Game 2 ever on cable with Wild-Avalanche averaging 2.1 million viewers. More here.

· Most-viewed Game 3 on record with Sabres-Canadiens averaging 2.1 million viewers. More here.

The Western Conference Final begins tonight (Wednesday) in prime time with the Colorado Avalanche hosting the Vegas Golden Knights at 8 p.m. ET. More on ESPN's coverage here.

ESPN's postseason coverage culminates with the exclusive presentation of the Stanley Cup Final in June.

- 30 -





  [may 2026]  
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