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Overall NHL playoff audience ratings on the NBC Sports Channel are up more than 44 percent over last year.
Reasons listed:
• A major increase in promotion — on and off the air — provided by NBC Sports, which took over the Versus franchise this year.
• Games have featured teams in major TV markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phila- delphia, Phoenix and Washington.
• Close, competitive games in nearly all series, starting with the first round.
Footnote. Not a single Canada-based team has been a factor in the playoffs this year.
