Arsenal beats Crystal Palace in penalty shootout to reach League Cup semifinals

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal will face Chelsea in the English League Cup semifinals after beating Crystal Palace 8-7 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time Tuesday.

Kepa Arrizabalaga stopped Maxence Lacroix’s spot kick to seal the shootout victory at Emirates Stadium.

Lacroix's own goal in the 80th minute had given Arsenal the lead before Marc Guehi equalized for Palace deep into stoppage time.

Manchester City will play defending champion Newcastle in the other semifinal.

Arsenal took the lead when Palace failed to clear Bukayo Saka’s corner. Lacroix knocked the ball over his line and shook his head in disbelief.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Jefferson Lerma headed down and Adam Wharton's free kick for Guehi to sweep it into the goal.

The penalty takers were perfect up until Lacroix’s effort. Arrizabalaga dove right and stopped it.

“We generated a lot (of chances). We should have scored many more goals than the one that we scored,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports. “Overall, another victory, I'm really happy.”

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

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta leaves the pitch after the English Football League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in London, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix guards Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus during the English Football League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in London, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Crystal Palace players celebrate after a goal during the English Football League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in London, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal players celebrate after winning in a penalty shootout the English Football League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in London, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal's goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga saves during the English Football League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in London, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal players celebrate after winning in a penalty shootout the English Football League Cup quarter-final soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace in London, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

DENVER (AP) — Marcus Pettersson scored with 5:39 remaining, Brock Boeser had a hat trick and the last-place Vancouver Canucks blew a four-goal lead before beating the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 8-6 on Wednesday night.

The Canucks, who entered the game 58 points behind the Avalanche, scored in all sorts of ways, including 29 seconds into the game, short-handed, on the power play and into an empty net to snap a six-game slide.

They led 6-2 in the second only to see Colorado tie it up with 6:02 left. Just 23 seconds later, Pettersson knocked in his first goal since November. Boeser sealed it by lining the puck down the ice and into an empty net.

Teddy Blueger scored twice, while Max Sasson and Jake DeBrusk also added goals to spoil a night in which Nathan MacKinnon became the first player this season to reach 50 goals. Vancouver took advantage of the Avalanche juggling their defensive pairings with Cale Makar sidelined by an upper-body injury.

Kevin Lankinen made 24 saves.

Sam Malinski scored twice, while Gabriel Landeskog, Parker Kelly and Brent Burns also scored. MacKinnon notched his second 50-goal campaign of his career with his score early in the first.

Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood was pulled with 4:39 left in the second after allowing six goals on 19 shots. Scott Wedgewood stopped five shots in relief.

The Avalanche were rolling after a 9-2 win over Calgary on Monday.

Before fans had a chance to settle into their seats, the Canucks were up 1-0. Sasson's goal 29 seconds into the game was the fastest by the Canucks since Oct. 22, 2024 (21 seconds).

Burns had a goal and an assist as he played in his 999th straight game. The all-time Ironman streak belongs to Phil Kessel, who skated in 1,064 consecutive games.

Canucks: At Minnesota on Thursday.

Avalanche: At Dallas on Saturday.

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

Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger, front, scores a goal past Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon reacts after scoring his 50th goal of the season in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser, left, collects the puck as Colorado Avalanche left wing Joel Kiviranta defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson, left, congratulates center Max Sasson after his goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)