ROOT SPORTS™, the exclusive rights holder of Pittsburgh Penguins regional telecasts, announced today the network posted a 12.66 average household rating for the 2013 Penguins regular season, leading all U.S.-based NHL and NBA teams for the second year in a row and all U.S-based NHL teams for the fourth consecutive season. Additionally, this year’s ROOT SPORTS’ Penguins broadcasts have garnered the highest average regional sports network ratings for any U.S.-based MLB, NBA or NHL team since 2002. Below are notable dates and highlights from this season:

Sixteen of the network’s top 20 highest rated regular season Penguins games came from the 2013 season. Eight of these fall into the top 10 with two of these games sitting at #1 and #2 highest rated regular season games in network history, surpassing Mario Lemieux’s return on December 27, 2000, which posted a 15.90 average household rating and had led the network’s ratings for the past 13 years:

Sunday, March 24 vs. Philadelphia Flyers. The Pens overtime victory and 12th consecutive win surpassed the previous record and posted a 16.50 average household rating. This game currently is the second highest regular season game rating in network history.

Saturday, March 30 vs. New York Islanders. Just six days after the record breaking game, Jarome Iginla’s debut with the Penguins and the team’s 15th win in a row drew a 16.56 average household rating, making it the highest rated regular season Penguins game in the networks history.

Of the 41 games broadcast by ROOT SPORTS this season, 40 of them posted a rating in the double-digits.

ROOT SPORTS average household ratings for regular season Penguins games this season are up 58% over last year’s.