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Shootout classic between U.S. and Russia sets NBCSN record for most watched hockey game in network history

Ice Hockey - Winter Olympics Day 8 - United States v Russia

during the Men’s Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group A game on day eight of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Bolshoy Ice Dome on February 15, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

Clive Mason

The numbers are in, and they’re fantastic. In fact, they’re record-breaking.

The NBC Sports Network averaged 4.1 million viewers for Saturday’s instant classic between the U.S. and Russia in the men’s hockey preliminary round at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. That sets a record for the most watched hockey game in the network’s history, according to a press release.

Numbers peaked at 6.4 million viewers, between 10-10:30 a.m. ET.

“The telecast of Team USA’s memorable men’s hockey victory led NBCSN to its best-ever daytime viewership (2.9 million viewers) and marked the third consecutive weekend day that NBCSN set a viewership record after last weekend’s milestone opening Saturday and Sunday telecasts of the Sochi Games,” according to a statement released by the network.

Saturday’s game also achieved history as the most streamed game in NBC Sports history. The spectacular viewership numbers weren’t just restricted to a single platform.

Minneapolis had the highest household ratings share at 15.7. The top-10 markets included Denver, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City, Ft. Myers, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Boston and Seattle.

It’s not hard to see why so many people tuned in. It was not only a highly anticipated match-up between two powerful hockey nations, but it featured some of the best players in the game, like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Quick - among many others.

Of course, there were the shootout heroics of T.J. Oshie, who scored four times in the deciding skills competition to lift the U.S. to victory.

Oshie’s performance under such pressure prompted massive reaction from across the hockey world, including peers and media. There was even a tweet from the White House sending its congratulations.

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