PITTSBURGH -- The Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins have been stellar at home this season and unbeatable in shootouts for two years. The New York Rangers brushed all that aside and played well enough to head into the Olympic break on a winning note. Brad Richards and Mats Zuccarello scored in a shootout, and the Rangers beat Pittsburgh 4-3 on Friday night to hand the Penguins a rare loss in the tiebreaker. "We deserved this win with the way that we played the whole game," said New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped two of three shots he faced in the shootout. "I dont know if it was desperation, but we understood how important this game was. We have a long break here and you definitely want to end it the right way." Benoit Pouliot scored twice in regulation for the Rangers, who bounced back from a home loss to Edmonton the night before and won for the fifth time in six games. The Penguins had won all four of their previous shootouts this season and 14 of the past 15 overall. Their most recent loss was two years ago to the day against Montreal. "Its not something that happens very often with our group -- our shooters and (Marc-Andre Fleury) in net," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "But Henrik is almost as good, and was tonight." Zuccarello, the second New York shooter in the tiebreaker, tucked a backhand under the pads of Fleury -- who had not allowed a shootout goal all season. Evgeni Malkin beat Lundqvist to extend the game before Richards flipped a shot past Fleury to end it. Lundqvist made 26 saves, running his winning streak to five games. "We played a real solid game," Richards said. "We played hard. Theyre going to get goals sometimes, that stuff happens, but we gave ourselves a chance to win." James Neal tied it for Pittsburgh with 2:56 left in regulation. It was Neals 20th goal of the season and third in three games. Olli Maatta and Malkin also scored for the Penguins, who lead second-place New York by 16 points in the Metropolitan Division. The final game day before the Olympic break for both teams began on a somewhat sombre note when the Penguins announced that Kris Letang will be out at least six weeks because of a stroke. Letang, who has been put on blood thinners, also was found to have a small hole in his heart. "No one expects to hear something like that," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who like the rest of his teammates was informed Friday morning about Letangs condition. "Its not something you typically hear about a guy who takes as good care as he does of himself. It was a surprise, but from what we heard, hes well taken care of and has got it under control." Without their top defenceman for the fifth straight game, Pittsburgh allowed 41 shots on goal and had a rare weak penalty-killing effort. The Penguins lost for only the second time in their last 18 home games, ending a five-game home winning streak against the Rangers that dated to 2012. "Not a good game for us," Malkin said. "We need to play better; we were lucky to take one point. The last 10 minutes we played, I think, better than the Rangers. But we need to play 60 minutes, and for 60 minutes we werent that great." Pouliot gave New York a third-period lead when he capped his first multigoal game in almost a year with 10:38 left. Pouliot wristed a rebound of Dan Girardis shot up under the crossbar from close range past Fleury for the Rangers second power-play goal of the game -- the first two goals Pittsburghs NHL-best penalty kill allowed at home in a span of 10 games (30 chances). Girardi also scored on the power play, in the opening minute of the second period. It took the Rangers 64 seconds to take a 1-0 lead. Zuccarello extended his point streak to six games when he earned an assist after Pouliot shoved a puck in that Fleury had pinned between his skate and the right post. Maatta answered 11 minutes later with the first of two goals on the night for Pittsburghs NHL-leading power play, slamming home a rebound of Crosbys shot into an open net for the rookies sixth of the season. Malkin added a power-play goal in the second period, a one-timed slap shot from outside the right circle off a feed from Neal. The goal, Malkins 18th of the season, extended his point streak to five games. That tied it 2-all at 8:29 of the second after Girardi had scored during the periods opening minute. "We definitely played better than we did (Thursday)," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "I thought we played with more energy and more focus and more purpose to our game. And we had to -- were playing against such a strong opponent that we had to bring our A game to the table. And I thought 5-on-5 we played a real solid game." The Rangers improved to 4-2 in shootouts this season. Pittsburgh had won 22 of 25 shootouts dating to Feb. 26, 2011. Fleury stopped Pouliot on the Rangers first attempt, extending the goalies streak to 12 unsuccessful shootout tries by opponents this season. NOTES: The Penguins fell to 14-1-1 this season when scoring a power-play goal at home. ... Pittsburgh has scored a power-play goal in three consecutive games for the first time since doing so in six straight from Nov. 27 to Dec. 7. ... The Rangers previous win in Pittsburgh was on Jan. 6, 2012. Brian Dawkins Eagles Jersey . 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"I knew that with the way Im playing and the confidence in my ability, I would be able to get those shots back," McIlroy said. "I didnt panic. I didnt try to do anything different. Just tried to keep playing the way I was." He was at 11-under 129. Woods felt fortunate to still be playing. He was over the cut line after scrambling for a bogey on the 11th hole and wound up with a 69 to make the cut on the number. Woods hit only two greens over his last nine holes. His lone birdie on the back nine was a chip-in on the 13th after he missed the green with a wedge. "It was a grind, theres no doubt about it," Woods said. "I didnt hit it very good. Just one of those days where I fought out a number, which was good." Because 79 players made the cut, there will be another cut to top 70 and ties on Saturday. Woods missed the 54-hole cut the last time he played on the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines. David Hearn (70) of Brantford, Ont., is tied for 23rd at 3 under. Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., did not make the cut after shooting a 72 and a 70. Calgarys Stephen Ames was also out after a 73 and a 75. And at least hes still playing the weekend. That wasnt the case for Phil Mickelson. Playing the Honda Classic for the first time in 12 years, he had a 71 to miss the cut. So did Henrik Stenson, the No. 3 player in the world, with rounds of 73-76. McIlroy knew the feeling a year ago, when he took a steep fall from No. 1 in the world while changing equipment and trying to live up to high expectations, leading to his snap decision to walk off the course after 26 holes last year at the Honda Classic. A growing gallery in warm sunshine at PGA National saw a familiar game -- the McIlroy who won the Honda Classic two years ago. Swinging freely and putting beautifully, McIlroy hit his stride on his back nine with four birdies in five holes, including the par-5 third when he smashed a drive some 35 yards past Adam Scott and had only a 6-iron into the green onn the 539-yard hole.dddddddddddd De Jonge, who has never won on the PGA Tour, played early in the afternoon when the wind picked up and put eight birdies on his card in a 64. He was tied for the lead when he missed the green with a wedge on No. 9 and made bogey. Even so, hell be in the last group Saturday with McIlroy. "I think I might have got a little bit of switch in the wind," de Jonge said. Russell Henley had a 68 and was three shots behind. Russell Knox of Scotland had the low round Friday at 63 and was four shots back along with Lee Westwood (65). But the focus is clearly on McIlroy, who each week looks to be getting better. "This year is obviously a lot different," McIlroy said. "Got off to a good start. Im confident. Im playing well. This is the second straight tournament Ive opened with a 63, so if I can keep building on these good starts, then hopefully I can start converting." After a 63 in Dubai, he said he was pressing too much in the final round and wound up in a tie for ninth. Friday was another step in the right direction, despite two errant tee shots on the 11th and 12th holes that led to bogeys. His round changed with a tee shot into 6 feet on the 16th hole for a birdie, and then a 12-foot birdie on the 18th to wrap up his front nine and earn back the two shots he had dropped. After a 45-foot birdie attempt on the second hole rimmed all the way around and out of the cup, Boy Wonder took off. He two-putted the par-5 third. He hit a wedge into 4 feet on the next hole. He rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt down the hill at the par-5 fifth. Then, after a tough par save on the sixth, he sank another 30-foot birdie putt that McIlroy made look routine. The gallery is kept 100 yards from the green, so the only applause came from a few marshals. It sounded like a tap-in for par. McIlroy reacted that way, too. "Watching Rory play is amazing when hes swinging like this," Scott said after his own great recovery. The Masters champ put shots in the water on the 16th and 17th holes, both times making double bogey, and it looked as though his return to golf after a six-week break would be a short one. But the Australian ran off four birdies on the front nine for a 70. It will take a lot more to catch McIlroy, who has taken only 49 putts through two rounds. "Thats probably the lowest putting total after 36 Ive probably had, maybe in my career," he said. "So its obviously going in the right direction." ' ' 'd. Sweden failed to qualify for the World Cup after losing to Portugal in a playoff. ' ' '