Stuttgart squeezes past Eintracht Braunschweig 8-7 on penalties to start German Cup title defense

BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany (AP) — Stuttgart’s German Cup title defense started with a drama-filled 8-7 win on penalties over Eintracht Braunschweig on Tuesday after their game ended 4-4 following extra time.

New signing Lorenz Assignon struck Stuttgart’s winning penalty – the 20th of the shootout – after Alexander Nübel had already saved three for the visitors.

“I think the fans enjoyed it more than we did on the field,” said Stuttgart forward Ermedin Demirović, who scored two goals in normal time as well as a penalty in the shootout.

Braunschweig, which made a good start to the second division with two wins from three games, showed straight away it was not overawed by the defending champion.

Sven Köhler put the home side ahead early with a strike from distance that Nübel should have kept out after getting his hands to the ball.

Demirović replied four minutes later with a diving header to Maximilian Mittelstädt’s cross that went in off the far post and made it 2-1 on the hour-mark.

But Fabio Di Michele Sanchez, a left back, equalized by rifling a fierce shot into the roof of the net from a narrow angle in the 77th, then scored another spectacular goal to give Braunschweig a 3-2 lead with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Germany forward Nick Woltemade equalized four minutes after that, sending the game to extra time, where Stuttgart’s Tiago Tomás forced an own goal from Sanoussy Ba before Christian Joe Conteh pulled Braunschweig level again to send the game to penalties.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Eintracht Braunschweig's Robin Heusser, left, reaches for the ball ahead of VfB Stuttgart's Finn Jeltsch during a DFB Pokal, German Cup, soccer match, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2205, in Brunswick, Germany. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

Fans set off pyrotechnics during a DFB Pokal, German Cup, soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Braunschweig, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2205, in Brunswick, Germany. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

VfB Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovi, center left, reacts after scoring a goal against Eintracht Braunschweig during a DFB Pokal, German Cup, soccer match, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2205, in Brunswick, Germany. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

Stuttgart's Lorenz Assignon, left, celebrates after converting his kick during a penalty shootout against Eintracht Braunschweig during a DFB Pokal, German Cup, soccer match, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2205, in Brunswick, Germany. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel saves a penalty during a penalty shootout against Eintracht Braunschweig during a DFB Pokal, German Cup, soccer match, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2205, in Brunswick, Germany. (Swen Pförtner/dpa via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Collin Graf and Pavol Regenda each had a goal and an assist and the San Jose Sharks used a three-goal second period to top the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Thursday night.

Zack Ostapchuk also scored, tying the game with the first of the Sharks' three goals in a span of 2:46. Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves for San Jose, which has won four of five.

Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals, Alex Ovechkin had an assist and Logan Thompson made 23 saves.

Strome put the Capitals up 1-0 at 10:58 of the second period, but the Sharks took over from there.

Ostapchuk tied it at 1 at 13:27 and Graf gave the Sharks the lead at 14:53 when he tipped in a pass from Regenda. San Jose went up 3-1 on Regenda's goal at 16:13.

Leonard made it a one-goal game at 9:11 of the third when beat Nedeljkovic.

Sharks: Play at Detroit on Friday night.

Capitals: Host Florida on Saturday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

San Jose Sharks center Zack Ostapchuk, right, celebrates his goal with San Jose Sharks defenseman Dmitry Orlov (9) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals center Hendrix Lapierre (29) collides with San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) stops the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

San Jose Sharks right wing Collin Graf (51) celebrates his goal with left wing Pavol Regenda (84) and others during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)