EDINA, Minnesota -- Theres been little doubt about the hockey smarts possessed by New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh for a long time now.You dont become captain of an Original Six franchise like the Rangers, a team that advanced to the Stanley Cup finals in 2014 and the Eastern Conference fina

EDINA, Minnesota -- Theres been little doubt about the hockey smarts possessed by New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh for a long time now.You dont become captain of an Original Six franchise like the Rangers, a team that advanced to the Stanley Cup finals in 2014 and the Eastern Conference finals the following spring, without having some serious hockey tools.But perhaps the truest indicator of McDonaghs intelligence -- never mind as a hockey player, but as a forward-thinking human being -- is the fact that with the birth of his first child less than two months away, McDonagh and his wife had a crib delivered to their Minneapolis-area residence, fully assembled.Smart. Very smart. Mensa smart.As for the baby accouterments in the couples other home, in Manhattan? Well, thats another matter entirely as the arrival of the first McDonagh offspring will follow closely on the heels of the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto -- which starts Sept. 17 at the Air Canada Centre -- and thats going to complicate things just a little bit.In fact, with the World Cup as a quest for redemption for Team USA and the 2016-17 NHL season as a quest for redemption for the Rangers, it promises to be a special journey into the unknown for McDonagh.For the Rangers, being dispatched in five games by the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the spring was a loss that seemed to be an exclamation point to a narrative that suggests their championship window is closing.Now the question is how the Rangers, led by McDonagh, bounce back.Being out in five games, kind of getting handled pretty well by Pittsburgh, it was frustrating, McDonagh said after a recent workout near his offseason home.The season was equally frustrating for McDonagh personally.McDonagh suffered a concussion after being sucker-punched by the Philadelphia Flyers Wayne Simmonds in early February. McDonagh then suffered a hand injury late in the regular season that limited him to three games in the playoffs; all three were losses, as it turns out.It was a little different ending for the season for me as far as where my body was at, he said. I didnt really need to take a lot of time off [in the offseason] to let my body heal.Instead, McDonagh has been working hard to be in better overall shape and to return to the form that made him among the most important defensemen in the league. Just as he shoulders a burden with Team USA at the World Cup, he understands that his play this season will be key to the Rangers fortunes.Its huge. I want to get back [to] where I was a couple of years ago, where I was a difference-maker consistently, McDonagh said. It cant just happen once every three, four games -- it has to happen every game. Get that motto and get that confidence going through our team and get everybody rallying together.Being a difference-maker on a nightly basis will play to his strengths as a leader who leads by action, not necessarily oratory.We never got in sync, McDonagh said of last seasons Rangers. We never had everybody pulling really hard for one another, and thats a hard thing to find. Its up to guys like me and [Derek] Stepan and [Marc] Staal, [Dan] Girardi and these guys that have been in New York for a handful of years now, to make sure that you take it one step at a time and to really work hard when youre at the practice rink or even the day before a game, game day, stay in the right motto, the right attitude, for everybody so that its easier for everybody to buy in and easier for everybody to work harder and do that little bit extra that helps us win games.Longtime NHL analyst Darren Pang thinks McDonagh will play a key role, regardless of whether hes sporting the red, white and blue of Team USA or the familiar Rangers blue. Outside of goalie Henrik Lundqvist, McDonagh is the Rangers most valuable player, and his injury issues last season illustrate that reality, Pang said.When it comes to Team USA, Pang -- who will provide in-game analysis for ESPN during the World Cup of Hockey -- believes McDonagh is the cornerstone of an American blue line that will have to be composed and efficient to stay close to the big boys of the tournament, such as Canada and Sweden. Ryans the leader of the bunch, Pang said.In the upcoming NHL season, a league scout believes that McDonagh might not reach his previous points total high of 43 set in 2013-14, but that doesnt necessarily matter because McDonagh still has the capability to be a top-pair defender for a long time to come.He won me over when I watched him play 60 minutes in a six-period playoff game versus Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, the scout said. I watched him get back up and continue to play after getting run over, in open ice, by Matt Hendricks.There were times last season when he wasnt as physical or wasnt as offensive as he was earlier in his career. But there is no way that he could continue to play 22-plus minutes versus top forwards and maintain the physical style, shot-blocking and offensive play. I dont think it would be physically possible for any athlete.If there is one encouraging part of what lies ahead for McDonagh in Toronto, in New York and in his new role as a first-time dad, its that hes got a strong shoulder to lean on in teammate and fellow Minnesotan Derek Stepan.Stepans wife gave birth to their first child nine months ago and the couple have been, and will continue to be, an important sounding board for the McDonaghs moving forward.The two Rangers grew up in Minnesota but didnt get to know each other until college at the University of Wisconsin.Once we got to college, we certainly leaned on each other for advice, Stepan said.Sometimes it was as simple as playing a game of cards together and talking about the journey they were on as aspiring young professional players.Stepan, who was part of the U.S. Olympic team in Sochi and will return for the World Cup, asked McDonagh to be his best man, and Stepan stood in McDonaghs wedding.McDonagh got married first, and Stepan became a father first. Together they shared the successes of the long playoff runs in 2014 and 2015 and the disappointment at having traveled so close to the dream, only to be denied.And they are part of a core group in New York trying to prove doubters wrong after the disappointing turn against the Penguins.It was tough to stomach because we just felt like we left so much on the table, Stepan said.Now, he said, its important for the group to take the energy they should have from an unusually long summer and put that to work in redeeming themselves once the season starts.Lets channel that energy, Stepan said.For Stepan and McDonagh, that channeling will once again be a shared task. And its a task that will begin sooner than later. Air Force 1 Alte Gore-Tex . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Air Force 1 Alte Bianche . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. http://www.airforce1outletitalia.it/scontate-air-force-1-alte-nere.html . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Air Force 1 Basse Italia . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Air Force 1 Outlet . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. PHOENIX -- This season is a lost cause for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and now some players are just trying to ensure themselves opportunities in the future.Brandon Drury strengthened his case with a timely hit Sunday.The 24-year-old utility player singled with two outs in the 12th inning to score Paul Goldschmidt, lifting the Diamondbacks over the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-9.Drury tied a career high with four hits, including a home run, and got his chance in the 12th after the Dodgers intentionally walked Jake Lamb. Ross Stripling (4-8) got the loss.It was Drurys third game-ending RBI since mid-July. He is batting .412 (33 for 80) with five doubles, five homers and 17 RBI in his last 22 games.Drury has also reached base safely in 15 straight games.The game lasted 4 hours, 29 minutes. Matt Koch (1-0) won for Arizona, his first career win.The Dodgers maintained their five-game lead in the NL West over San Francisco after the Giants lost earlier Sunday. Los Angeles hosts the Giants for a three-game series that starts Monday.Goldschmidt stretched a base hit into a double with two outs in the 12th, then Lamb was issued a walk to bring up Drury.A credit to Goldschmidt. Oh for 5 and hes still running out singles up the middle and he turns it into a double, Stripling said. And then we intentionally walk the lefty to get to Drury, whos had a good day. Get 1-1 and try to throw a heater up and it just kind of stays middle-middle.Howie Kendrick broke a 7-all tie in the eighth with a two-out, two-run double, but Chris Owings hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth to make it 9-9.The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with walks in the eighth and had a chance to regain the lead after blowing a 6-0 advantage, but Mitch Haniger grounded out sharply to third base to end the inning.Both teams had two runners on base in the ninth but couldnt deliver. Owings struck out against Stripling with the potential winning run at third base in the ninth.Adrian Gonzalezs pinch-hit double in the sixth with two outs and the bases loaded tied it at 7, part of a six-run inning for Los Angeles.Haniger, another young player trying to show well, had three hits, including a two-run homer.We dont worry about if were going to get a hit or score runs, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. We just worry about getting a good at-bat and hitting the ball hard. And thats their mindset.Starter Robbie Ray struck out eight of the first 14 batters and did not allow a hit until the fifth, when Kiike Hernandez homered with two outs.dddddddddddd Ray lasted 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on five hits, eight strikeouts and a pair of walks.The Diamondbacks tagged starter Jose De Leon for six runs, four of those earned, in 3 2/3 innings. De Leon, a rookie whod won his first two starts, gave up seven hits.Arizonas Jean Segura had his 22nd game with three or more hits this season, which tied a club record.WATSON OUTThe Diamondbacks are parting with senior vice president of baseball operations De Jon Watson, and chief baseball officer Tony La Russa said he and general manager Dave Stewart may also be fired after the season.La Russa announced Watsons departure and said he will meet with owner Ken Kendrick and president and CEO Derrick Hall eventually about his status. The Diamondbacks are a disappointing 63-86 this season.If it gets turned over the next person, you gladly turn it over, La Russa said. When were 20 games under .500, I felt if youre looking at the front office, the most responsible person, it would be me.Watson was in his second season with the club and oversaw the franchises player development and professional, amateur and international scouting departments.PEDERSON TOSSEDDodgers center fielder Joc Pederson was ejected for arguing a called third strike in the eighth inning, the fifth ejection for the team this season and his first.TRAINERS ROOMDodgers: Roberts said pitcher Scott Kazmir developed a blister while throwing a simulated game Sunday. Hes been on the disabled list with a neck problem since Aug. 23. ... Pitcher Alex Wood, normally a starter, will be activated from the 60-day disabled list on Monday, and Roberts plan is to start him out of the bullpen for an inning. It figures to be Woods role for however long the Dodgers season lasts.UP NEXTDodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (11-3, 1.81) gets the start against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner on Monday night in Los Angeles. Kershaw has had two starts since coming off the 60-day disabled list earlier this month. You look at the way our rotation is configured, the same way the Giants is configured, Roberts said. It gives the best chance against those guys and I think they feel the same about playing against us.Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks begin a 10-game trip in San Diego on Monday, with Braden Shipley (4-3, 5.56) on the mound against Clayton Richard. ' ' '