Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final produces record ratings

The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate a third period goal by Vegas Golden Knights right wing Ryan Reaves (75) in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals between the Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, May 28, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph

Golden Knights left wing Tomas Nosek (92) celebrates his empty net goal against the Washington Capitals with Golden Knights left wing Pierre-Edouard Bellemare during the third period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, May 28, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights left wing Tomas Nosek (92) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, May 28, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Las Vegas was watching. So was the nation’s capital.

According to NBC, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Golden Knights and Washington Capitals on Monday night saw the telecast do a 28.1 local rating and a 44 share in Las Vegas. It was the highest rating ever for a Knights game in the market, shattering the previous number of 17.9 for Game 5 of the Western Conference Final vs. Winnipeg.

The 44 share translated to one in every two TV sets that were in use were tuned to NBC for Game 1 as the Knights took a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-seven Final with a 6-4 win. Game 2 is at 5 p.m. Wednesday on NBC Sports Network.

In Washington, the game did a 16.0 local rating making it the highest-rated Capitals game ever shown. The previous best was a 12.6 rating which was from Game 7 of the eastern Conference Final against Tampa Bay.

According to NBC, Game 1’s overnight rating of 3.72 was up 7 percent vs. both last year’s Stanley Cup Final Game 1 with Nashville-Pittsburgh (3.49) and 36 percent over 2016’s Game 1 with San Jose-Pittsburgh (2.73). It was the best overnight rating for a Game 1 Final since 2015 when Chicago-Tampa Bay did a 4.23 rating.

Not surprisingly, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. led the list of the top-10 markets to watch Game 1. Pittsburgh was third with a 10.31 rating followed by Baltimore (9.07) and Buffalo (8.84).

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.