Update: With 2.723 million viewers, Game 6 of the Chicago/Detroit series on NBC Sports Network was the most watched Semifinal game ever on cable (data available since 1994).

Game 7 figures to be bigger. Will pass along ratings when they come in.

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In my latest column for Indiana’s National Sports Journalism Center, I revisit the NHL’s decision to stick with the NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) with its cable package opposed to going with ESPN.

Really, it couldn’t have worked out better for the NHL. From the post:

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In April, 2011, the NHL decided against going to ESPN. Not only did the league stay the course, it doubled down.  It elected to sign an exclusive 10-year deal with the NBC Sports Group.

Beginning in 2012, the pact called for NBC to air every game of the playoffs on multiple platforms, with the former Versus, since rebranded NBC Sports Network, serving as an anchor along with NBC.

“The idea was to super-serve the hockey fan,” said Sam Flood, who oversees NBC’s hockey coverage as executive producer. “That’s our Number 1 priority. (It)  is hockey seven nights a week, with the match ups and times where fans can consume them as often as possible.”

Bring it on.

The early rounds now have the feel of the NCAA basketball tournament, with fans flipping from games on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC, and the NHL Network. On some days, there were four games.

Last Thursday night was a hockey gourmet feast. The New York Rangers beat Boston in overtime on CNBC, while Detroit squeezed out a tense 1-0 victory over Chicago on NBC Sports Network. It doesn’t get much better than that for fans of the old Original 6.

The big winners are the NHL and NBC. Despite the lockout, the 2013 NHL regular season on NBC Sports Network was the most-watched season on cable in nearly two decades, and up 18 percent from last season. Regular season games averaged 392,000 viewers. A new “Wednesday Night Rivalry” series proved to be extremely popular. Nearly 1 million viewers tuned for a Boston-Rangers game in late January.

The ratings then have soared for the playoffs. On NBC, Game 2 of the Boston-Rangers series pulled in a high 2.4 million viewers. On NBC Sports Network, Game 4 of Chicago-Detroit and Game 3 of Boston-Rangers both attracted 1.75 viewers.

Would the NHL have been as successful if it went to ESPN? Probably not. ESPN likely could have found multiple platforms to air all the playoff games; ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN Classic, etc. However, the network also has a full slate of baseball and the NBA playoffs during the spring. The NHL might have gotten lost in the shuffle and relegated to second-class status.

The NHL and hockey are the showcase attraction at the NBC Sports Network. There’s something to be said for being No. 1 on the marquee. It conveys a greater sense of importance to viewers, as if to say, “Hey, this is important. Watch.”