There aren’t many things in the world worth waking up early for on a Saturday morning, but the Olympic men’s hockey game between the United States and Russia certainly was one of them.
The overtime thriller, which began at 7:30 a.m. ET, drew an average audience of 4.1 million viewers for NBC Sports Network, making it the most watched hockey game in the network’s history. The viewership total beat the previous record of 4.0 million, which was set during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks.
According to NBC Sports, the audience peaked at 6.4 million viewers between 10 and 10:30 a.m. when T.J. Oshie put on an absolute clinic during an eight-round shootout to give Team USA the 3-2 win.
The great number of videos from American bars and restaurants celebrating Oshie’s heroics and goalie Jonathan Quick’s dominance proves just how many fans set their alarm clocks for the anticipated matchup. It also shows that beer, hockey and a Team USA win make for a great breakfast.
