How does that Hives song go? "Hate to say I told you so / I do believe I told you so"?

I don't normally flaunt predictions that come true, but after I nailed our unofficial, intra-office survey for a Colts-Saints Super Bowl, I couldn't help but look back one projection I made last year.

There's been a lot of hubbub as of late about the Calgary Flames' slide, and that has led some pundits to call out the lackluster play of Jay Bouwmeester.

Chances are you heard plenty about the defenseman last season when he was one of the most targeted free agents. Bouwmeester finished out the year with Florida, matched a career high in goals and fell just shy of doing the same in points. The Panthers, realizing he wouldn't re-sign by July 1, traded his rights to Calgary. The Flames inked him to a five-year, $33 million deal.

What has $6.68 million bought Calgary this season? Two goals and 18 points. He leads the Flames in average time on ice (a little more than 26 minutes per game). He ranks second on the Flames in giveaways (41), second in missed shots (48) and fifth in hits (46). For that kind of ice time, you'd expect more production, no?

Which brings me back to that Hives song. Before last year's trade dealine, I pointed out Bouwmeester isn't all he's cracked up to be , and his departure from Florida wouldn't bury the franchise the same way the Roberto Luongo fiasco did.

[F]or the money [Bouwmeester is] seeking, Florida may be better off parting ways. Not because they're cheap, rather he's not the end-all-be-all in Florida. Bouwmeester is having an outstanding season (offensively), but as a friend put it, "does everyone else not see him enough to know his flaws?"

Bouwmeester is not a Dion Phaneuf- or Chris Pronger-like player who can put up offense and be physical in his own end. Actually, there are a lot of times where the defenseman doesn't use his size. He can be a liability in his own end at times, which is part of the reason why he's paired with Karlis Skrastins , who is about as defensive-minded as you can get.

In Florida's 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals a couple weeks back, Bouwmeester displayed his lack of physicality clearly. He was matched up against Alexander Ovechkin. There's no question Bouwmeester could keep up with the star (so few can), but on two occasions, he failed to play the body. On one of those, Ovechkin tallied the game-winner. A check or bump by Bouwmeester would have disrupted the play.

The Panthers' record is one win and three points off of last year's effort at this same point. The balanced attack from Florida's blueline has continued to some degree, with the Panthers' top four registering at least 16 points. Bouwmeester's departure also opened the door for rookie Dmitri Kulikov, a smooth-skating, puck moving defenseman who has not only been able to hang at the NHL level, but play a significant role. About the only thing Florida is missing from Bouwmeester is the 15 goals he contributed last season. For a team missing its top two goal scorers -- David Booth and Nathan Horton -- that is without question.

On the flip side, the Flames aren't any better either. They are four wins and five points off last year's pace. Bouwmeester's presence alone isn't at fault for Calgary's struggles, yet he is not doing the things expected of him -- and his lofty salary -- that would help the Flames pull themselves out of a rut.

And, while it is absolute speculation , one can't help but wonder what kind of impact Bouwmeester has had on Calgary's defensive corps, Phaneuf specifically. Once lauded as a franchise defenseman, future Norris Trophy contender and absolute Pac-Man when it comes to ice time, Phaneuf has been knocked from the spotlight. Rumors of his unhappines refuse to die down despite endless assurance from Flames GM Darryl Sutter. Calgary may host the Stampede, but in this case, there may not be enough room for two workhorses.

Could the Panthers be better off with Bouwmeester? Possibly. Are they surviving without him? Absolutely.

I do believe I told you so.

Go ahead, heap criticism on the Florida Panthers. They deserve it. The Cats, seeking their first playoff berth since 2000, have lost seven of their last eight games. They've blown a two-goal lead in four of those.

The list of excuses Florida can lean on has diminished to one glaring, bold-faced bullet point: the inability to close out games. The Panthers cannot blame the loss of Nathan Horton or Bryan McCabe to injury; both players are back. They cannot suggest waiting for the trade deadline have caused frayed nerves; March 4 has come and gone, with the team left intact. Their only flaw is mental.

Ask around in the Panthers locker room as to what's the cause behind the slide. Nobody has an answer. Some will speak out about unacceptable efforts as McCabe did after the team's 3-0 loss to Washington. Others, such as Tomas Vokoun, question what has caused the season to go so wrong, so quickly. Coach Pete DeBoer focuses on the positives of his team working hard and playing disciplined hockey, even though the result on the scoresheet suggests otherwise.

Yet nobody seems to realize the solution to Florida's problem has always been in their presence: Craig Anderson. He's seen the collapse up close and personal from his rinkside seat on the Panthers bench. He's got a clear view of every teammate's body language off the ice as he sits at the head of the locker room. He's seen it all before and for whatever reason, over the past two seasons, Anderson has been clutch when the Panthers are in their most dire straits:

- March 2008: With the playoffs seemingly out of reach, Anderson kickstarts a franchise-best seven-game winning streak with three straight wins. He begins with a 1-0 victory over the New York Islanders and follows that with a 1-0 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. In the process, he sets NHL records for most saves in a shutout (53 vs. New York) and most saves in consecutive shutouts (93).

- November 2008: Anderson posts a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 9, snapping the team's six-game losing streak. Three nights later, he posts a 4-0 win over Tampa Bay. By the end of the month, Anderson takes over as Florida's No. 1, starting in six straight games. In that stretch, he records five wins and two shutouts.

- January 2009: In the midst of a four-game losing streak, Anderson rights the ship with a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh. The Panthers begin a streak in which they earn a point in eight straight games.

- March 2009: One night after suffering a 7-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, Anderson backstops the Panthers to a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals.

Anderson has not seen any action since his victory over Washington. Since then, Florida has gone 3-5-3.

There's no explanation as to why Florida plays well in front of Anderson, who is 24-12-6 in his two full seasons with the Panthers. Now is not the time for DeBoer and the Cats to question why that is.

Florida has eight games left to salvage one of the best seasons they've had in years. There's no shame in leaning on numbers or intangibles to do so. The Panthers just need to get back in the win column.

Anderson has shown he can do that.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Even Disney could not have come up with an ending like this one.

One Feb. 10, 2008, Richard Zednik did not know if he'd live to see the next day. Exactly one year later, he's celebrating an unprecedented comeback 5-4 victory by the Florida Panthers over the Toronto Maple Leafs, one made possible with his tying and game-winning goals.

Hockey fans always talk about players getting a goal on their birthday. Apparently it is two for a re-birthday.

"It's a great story," Panthers coach Pete DeBoer said. "From what he came back from, I would think if you were in that position yourself, it would be easy to put your feet up, retire and never play again. He's made more than enough money to do that. I thought he showed a lot of character even coming back this year. He's starting to hit his stride, get more comfortable out there."

Down 4-1 with a little more than 12 minutes to go in the third period, Florida rallied on goals by Nathan Horton and Ville Peltonen.

Zednik, to that point, hadn't been much of a factor. Perhaps distracted by all the talk surrounding last year's horrific incident in which he took a skate to the throat, the winger had a penalty and just one shot through two periods.

With 6:29 left in the game, Zednik parked himself in front of Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala and re-directed a pass into the net to tie the game and force overtime. Just 68 seconds into the extra period, veteran Cory Stillman found Zednik breaking to the slot. He fed the winger, whose one-timer sealed the win.

Until Tuesday, the Panthers, in their 16-year history, never overcame a three-goal deficit and went on to win.

The victory only gives Florida a one-point lead over Carolina for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. It isn't much breathing room, especially since the eight spot has shifted between the Panthers, Hurricanes and Penguins several times over the past few weeks.

It's quite the mirror image of last year, though, when the Panthers, trying to recover from the trauma of Zednik's injury, dropped seven of its next nine games and fell out of the playoff race.

There's a lot to be said for Zednik's play as of late and how it has rubbed off on the Panthers. Since being benched on Dec. 31, the winger has 11 points, including a pair of highlight reel goals. In that same stretch, Florida is 10-3-3.

Zednik's teammates have been buzzing, talking about his acrobatic feats. Now they're reveling in the effort that not only finishes off the franchise's greatest comeback.

There really could not be a more perfect end to a personal chapter in Zednik's life.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- A couple new additions appeared in the Florida Panthers locker room this week, and they weren't necessarily the three players acquired at the trade deadline.

Adorning the once blank walls of the team's weight room are five large signs in Panthers colors with a motivational saying on each: Details. Team Unity. Accountability. Perseverance. Sacrifice.

The effort rings hollow, though, especially with 15 games left in the season. Florida has now lost eight of its last 11 and is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the eighth straight season. The Panthers are seven points behind eighth place Philadelphia, and seven points behind division leader Carolina.

"We're in a bad position," Tomas Vokoun said. "There's no question about it."

Tonight may have been the first time in ages the Panthers actually found some energy to fight back. Down 3-1 to the Minnesota Wild in the third, Nathan Horton netted a power play goal six minutes into the period. A few moments later, his open-ice hit on Stephane Veilleux woke the Cats from their slumber and sparked a more intense style of play.

Florida finished with 16 shots in the third, but were unable to chip in a comeback tally like so many teams have done to them this season.

But like the new posters hanging in the Panthers locker room, Friday's effort is too little, too late.

Even Jacques Martin, who has presented a positive front during some of the rough stretches this season, appears to be tiring from his team's constant struggles. He plodded into the postgame press conference pressing his hand against his brow, like he was trying to rid himself of a splitting headache. Maybe he is.

The last coach I saw do the same thing down here was Terry Murray, who, after a 5-2 loss to Philadelphia on Dec. 27, 2000, appeared nothing short of bewildered and offered no answer to why the Panthers had won just six games at that point. Florida fired him the next day.

Granted, Martin didn't appear clueless as to why Florida continues to lose. He's well aware injuries have gutted the team. And that they are fragile when they have a lead. And that the Panthers are either taking too many penalties, breaking down too many times on defense, not playing physically enough or just giving up a cheap, lucky goal at the worst possible moment.

The whole situation lends itself to something one might see on a poster by Despair, Inc.:

Defeat: For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Roberto Luongo's return to South Florida has been two years in the making. Quite a long time for fans, players and the organization to receive closure.

Whether it be Stephen Weiss' blind shot which tied it at three apiece, Tomas Vokoun's save on Markus Naslund's penalty shot in overtime, or Nathan Horton's lone shootout goal, the current Panthers did their part to put momentarily let fans forget about one of the darkest days in franchise history.

Despite playing with a sense of urgency that has been absent for most of the year, Florida struggled to swing the momentum totally in their favor. Yet they kept rattling off shots, 73 in all if you account for the ones that flew wide or were blocked. No Canuck went untouched, as 12 players recorded at least one hit.

Weiss suggested after the game Luongo's return didn't factor into the team's passionate play. That may be the case, but it was hard to ignore who was at the other end of the ice when fans in the BankAtlantic Center jeered every play in which Luongo touched the puck.

And Vokoun, who was subjected to playing in the shadow of Luongo upon his arrival in Florida, thrust himself into the spotlight with a penalty shot save on Markus Naslund with 46 seconds to play in overtime. He followed that effort with three consecutive saves to seal the shutout victory, celebrating in his crease with a little fist pump before his teammates mobbed him.

"People can do lots of stuff with emotion, and that's what we need here," Vokoun said. "We need more involvement and more emotion. We've got to enjoy winning. When you enjoy it, you do everything you can to repeat that feeling."

Perhaps it was fitting that Florida's celebration music for the evening included Eminem's "Lose Yourself" -- "If you had one shot, or one opportunity/to seize everything you ever wanted -- one moment/would you capture it or just let it slip?"

It may not have been the most well-executed or prettiest win for Florida. But the desire to skate away with this W more than any other was apparent. Now it is just a question as to whether they can bottle the passion from tonight for the stretch.