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[06/04/26 - 03:44 PM]
ESPN Delivers Most-Viewed Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Since 2019
The audience peaked deep in the third period (10:45 - 11 p.m.) at 5.5 million viewers.
[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN delivers most-viewed Stanley Cup Final Game 1 since 2019 

Vegas Golden Knights-Carolina Hurricanes on ABC captures 4.8 million viewers

The 2026 Stanley Cup Final opened with its largest audience in seven years as Game 1 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes (Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET) averaged 4.8 million viewers on ABC. This makes it the most-viewed Stanley Cup Final Game 1 since 2019 (St. Louis/Boston, NBC).

Viewership was up 98% compared to Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on TNT/TruTV and up 54% versus Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on ABC.

The audience peaked deep in the third period (10:45 - 11 p.m.) at 5.5 million viewers.

Tuesday's game delivered ESPN's most-watched Stanley Cup Final Game 1 as it drew a higher audience than every Game 1 between 1994, 2000-2004, which aired on ESPN, in addition to 2024 and 2022 on ABC as part of this current rights deal.

ESPN's presentation of the Cup Final follows record-setting postseason viewership, including ESPN networks' airing its most-viewed First Round and Second Round of the current rights deal, and the most-viewed Western Conference Final since 2015.

ESPN exclusive presentation of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final continues tonight with Game 2 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Sean McDonough, Ray Ferraro and Emily Kaplan will call the action, while The Point Presented by DraftKings, with host Steve Levy and analysts Mark Messier and P.K. Subban return as the lead-in show, beginning at 7 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN+). More on ESPN's coverage here.

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