ESPN: Golden Knights-Avalanche highest rated Western final Game 1 on network

The first game of the Golden Knights-Avalanche series was the most watched Western Conference Final Game 1 in ESPN history, the network announced this weekend.

Last Wednesday’s game in Denver averaged 2.1 million viewers, a 45 percent increase over last year’s Western Conference Final Game 1 between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.

ESPN said it also was the highest rated Game 1 since 2018, when the expansion Golden Knights played the Winnipeg Jets.

The network’s coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs is averaging 1.6 million viewers per game, up 74 percent over last season.