Hockey Steals Show From Football in Baseball's House

The oft-disparaged National Hockey League has struck gold in its experiment with outdoor games. And though all the matchups have seen a surge in television ratings, the highlight was something other leagues have managed to capitalize on for years: the Subway Series.

Or more accurately in this case, the Port Authority Series, as Sunday afternoon's matchup between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils drew a big audience. The game, held in Yankee Stadium and broadcast nationally on NBC, averaged 2.079 million viewers and a 1.33 rating among households -- an all-time high for a regular season hockey game on NBC. Ratings for last night's game between the Rangers and the New York Islanders won't be available until later today. Both games drew sellout crowds in the Bronx, despite below-freezing temperatures.