Remember when every hardcore hockey fan told you that they would send a message to NHL owners by boycotting most or all of the shortened season?

Well those angry hockey fans are few and far between according to Patrick Rishe from Forbes.com.

They Shoot, They Score: NHL Ratings, Secondary Prices Show Fans Not Deterred by Lockout – Forbes lnkd.in/NSiYze

— Patrick Rishe (@PatrickRishePhD) January 21, 2013

On Sunday, NBC announced that its regional Saturday afternoon telecasts delivered a 2.0 overnight rating, the network’s highest ratings for an NHL regular-season game, excluding the Winter Classic, in 11 years.

If those television ratings weren’t convincing enough, secondary ticket prices around the league for opening home games were reportedly pricier than normal, this is particularly true in Boston where tickets for the Bruins’ home opener were more expensive than when the team came off of its Stanley Cup winning 2011 season.

While some people may wonder why these numbers are so high, Rishe says that the answer is not as complicated as one may think.

“An 82-game season with 41 home dates has been shrunk to 48 games with 24 home tilts. Thus, a reduction in games means less inventory (decrease in Supply)…which will increase secondary ticket prices for all teams,” Rishe writes.

“The higher ratings reflect the fact that hockey fans have been aching to see their beloved sport, coupled with the realization that the 2012-13 season is akin to a 400-meter sprint rather than a 5K run. Each and every game is crucial, and that immediacy and importance is not lost upon consumers of hockey.”

So while some fans may tell you that they will be holding a grudge against the NHL this season, they are amongst the vast minority.