Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory against Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship shattered viewership records on ESPN, the network announced Friday. The game averaged 9.3 million viewers, peaking at 10.4 million, marking the highest audience for a hockey game in ESPN history. It also became the most-watched non-football event on ESPN+ and surpassed the 2019 Stanley Cup Final’s 8.9 million viewers on NBC.
Connor McDavid clinched the win with an overtime goal at Boston’s TD Garden, capping off a fiercely competitive showdown. The game also drew the largest U.S. audience for a non-Olympic hockey event, according to Sports Media Watch. In Canada, Sportsnet reported 10.7 million viewers tuned in, over a quarter of the nation’s population.
The 4 Nations tournament averaged 4.3 million viewers on ESPN, reflecting a 1079% increase from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.