Micheletti, who is calling games with John Forslund for Sports USA Media, discussed what he saw in the Rangers' 6-2 victory at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
"It's not just the fact that Tampa Bay didn't play for nine days and the Rangers had one day of rest and there was that factor," Micheletti told co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke. "But when they played that first game there's a realization that, 'Wait a second, this is a little bit different.' So there's that feeling out period of how that game is going to be played.
"When I looked at that game last night, I thought Tampa Bay in the first period just kept getting better and better and better, and Igor Shesterkin was able to keep that game tied going into the second period. Then it looked to me like the Rangers if they got more of their legs, OK that might have been one thing, but I think they realized that this was a different game than what they played in the previous seven against this Carolina team that just never gives you any room, it's just pressure, pressure, pressure.
RELATED: [Complete Rangers vs. Lightning series coverage]
"I think the Rangers realized, 'Listen, we have a little more time to make plays. If we get more aggressive, if we get the puck in deep, we can make more plays.' To me it was a much different game and I think both teams adjusted to it and the Rangers, in particular in the second period, took over."
Game 2 is in New York on Friday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS).
Micheletti also tackled a question about Rangers forward Chris Kreider and if he is underrated despite scoring an NHL career-high 52 goals in the regular season and another nine in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I would say this that for many years he was an overrated Ranger because every year it was is this the year Chris Kreider is finally going to score 30 or 40 goals because he should be able to do it in his sleep," Micheletti said. "His size (6-foot-3, 223 pounds), his skating, his shot, that whole thing, and he never got to that. So he had this moniker of can he put together a full season and get to 30 or 40 goals, which should be relatively easy for him because of his talent level and his work ethic. I think he went from there to now he blows by 30, blows through 40 and ends up with 52 in the regular season. It's been one of those years for him where everything has worked.
"Now, is he underrated? He's never been put up on a mantle with some of the great Rangers players of all time. Now if you look at it, your point is probably well taken, and you go maybe he is a little bit underrated
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