Jon Gillies has seen the Penguins before and knows exactly what they're capable of doing to any goalie, let alone a rookie with five career starts to his resume.
Growing up in Concord, N.H., he says he used to watch the Penguins -- Marc-Andre Fleury in particular, "so loose and always having fun" -- before he'd go to bed. Even attended games in Pittsburgh as a fan when his college season was over, thanks to his Providence College roommate Brooks Behling, a Mount Lebanon native.
"They have some of the best players in the world, they have for a long time," the Flames goalie said Monday morning. "Obviously, they're back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. It's going to be a tough test but it's going to be a lot of fun and its going to be a good challenge."
The 6-foot-6 Gillies will get the start in net tonight when Calgary visits PPG Paints Arena, the same building where he was drafted in 2012 by the Flames (third round, 75th overall).
The Flames have dropped three in a row with Gillies getting the loss in two of them, including Saturday's home loss to the Rangers in which he gave up three goals on 27 shots.
"You're always trying to get back on the winning side," Gillies said of needing a bounce-back. "Doesn't change much ... Hopefully we can turn the tide and come out with a win."
But it won't be easy. The Flames have gone unbeaten in their last five games against the Penguins but are pinning their playoff hopes on the 24-year-old Gillies and David Rittich after No. 1 goalie Mike Smith went down with a lower body injury that's sidelined him the last 10 games. The Flames are 3-6-1 without Smith.
Gillies has been splitting time with Rittich, a fellow rookie.
"Those guys have shown during periods that they're more than capable and have the skill set to play here," said Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan, who was on John Tortorella's coaching staff in Vancouver with Mike Sullivan. "For a goalie it's about getting a little comfortable in the league and believing in that. And coming into a building like this, I think the goalies feel the same way. Jonnie is geared up and dialed in. This will be a good learning game for him."
Complicating matters for the Flames though is that the Penguins have been nearly unbeatable on home ice, winning 12 of their last 13. But Gillies already knows that.
"It's a great atmosphere," he said. "It's a cool building to be in. It's going to be a lot of fun."