You can be sure NBC Sports Network is rooting for the Blackhawks to beat the Red Wings tonight to force a Game 7 Wednesday.

As I wrote previously, the intense local following in Chicago and Detroit is having a profound impact on NBC and NBC Sports Network’s overall national numbers. It definitely was the case again Saturday for Game 5 in Chicago.

From NBC:

NBC’s prime NHL Semifinal game (8-11P; Det-Chi) earned a 2.0 overnight (in metered markets), the best delivery for a conference semifinal game on NBC in 7 years (since 2006). While there is no year ago primetime comparison, the game was up 25% from the comparable afternoon conference semifinal game last year on Saturday, 05/05/12 (12:30-3:15P; NYR-Wash; 1.6). 

Detroit delivered a 14.7, the highest local rating ever in the market for an NHL Semifinal game on NBC.  Chicago also drew its best Semi-Final on NBC rating with an 11.4.