Update at 6 p.m ET:

NBC SN just filed the final numbers, and they are huge:

NBCSN’s coverage of last night’s game between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks to start the 2013-14 NHL season was watched by an average of 935,000 viewers, making it the most-watched season opener on cable on record (data available since 1993), and the second-most watched regular-season game ever on NBCSN.

Due to the lockout, last year’s season began in January on NBC with regional coverage. Last year’s inaugural Wednesday Night Rivalry game between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers (1/23/13, 956,000) is the only NBCSN regular-season matchup with more viewers than last night’s game. NBCSN began its NHL coverage in 2005-06.

Last night’s game peaked with 1.045 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET, and posted a 0.51 HH rating. Chicago delivered a 7.32 rating, the highest ever for a regular-season game in that market on NBCSN, which was also the most-watched cable channel in Chicago during the game.

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The Blackhawks picked up right where they left off in June; delivering big numbers for NBC SN.

Last night’s game did a .7 overnight rating, the highest ever for a NHL opener ever on NBC SN (including when it was OLN and Versus). The network obviously was ecstatic to pull such a big number for a hockey game on Oct. 1.

As usual, Chicago was the driver. The area did a whopping 7.15 rating (an estimated 254,000 homes), its highest ever for a regular-season game.

Of course, it wasn’t just any regular-season game. Another Stanley Cup banner, the second in four years, was raised at the United Center.

This video surely will give you chills if you’re a Blackhawks fans. It never gets old.

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