Smolinski Wanted to Be Home

Bryan Smolinski was scratched Saturday afternoon.

And then he wasn’t.

And then he was.

And then he wasn’t.

By Saturday’s end, Smolinski had logged thousands of air miles and had made two transcontinental trips in just over 48 hours.

He was a father for the first time, to Ashtyn Ella Smolinski, born Saturday afternoon in Southern California while her father sat in a New York airport.

“You wait for this chance all your life,” said Smolinski, who played Saturday and scored the first goal in the Kings’ 2-1 victory over New Jersey, rather than being with wife Julie for their daughter’s birth.

Smolinski had been called home Thursday morning before the Kings’ 5-2 victory at Atlanta and arrived in time to learn that Julie was going through false labor and the thinking was that the baby was going to be awhile.

So he rejoined the Kings for Saturday’s game, then got a call in the morning that it was time to get back to Southern California.

Mike Altieri, the Kings’ director of media relations and team services, scrambled to find a direct flight to Los Angeles, found one for 1 p.m., then let Coach Andy Murray know.

Scratch Smolinski, enter Jason Blake.

But the flight was canceled.

Scratch Blake, enter Smolinski.

And then Altieri found a 4 p.m. flight and booked it. Smolinski was going to leave after the second period.

But the call came from the hospital that Ashtyn was making her own plans and wasn’t going to wait for dad’s flight.

So Smolinski played eight shifts totaling 6:53 of the third period, the time key because with wingers Kelly Buchberger and Nelson Emerson, the line had a big role in the Kings’ victory.

“It’s a real disappointment for me,” he said of missing his daughter’s birth.

“This isn’t what I had in mind. If I was [playing] in Phoenix or Vancouver or someplace like that, it would be different. But it kind of figured to be this week because we were all the way out here.”

He was philosophical about it.

“It’s a real special time for her,” he said of Julie. “I guess I won’t be there to bug her.”

TODAY

at N.Y. Islanders

10 a.m. PST

Fox Sports Net

* Site--Nassau Coliseum.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 7-6-2-0, Islanders 5-3-2-1.

* Record vs. Islanders (1999-2000)--1-0.

* Update--New York dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime at Tampa Bay on Friday night, and it ended a six-game unbeaten streak (4-0-2), longest in five years for the Islanders. A key in the New York success has been the play of Brad Isbister, who has six goals and three assists in his last seven games. Former King defenseman Garry Galley scored his first goal for the Islanders on Friday night.