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The San Jose Sharks exhibited heart, intensity and competence in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Problem is that one inevitably wonders where the hell they were in the previous games that led to their elimination by the Vancouver Canucks, 3-2, in double-overtime.
Grunts like Torrey Mitchell and Kyle Wellwood outplayed their counterparts. The defense limited the time and space for the Sedins to make magic. Joe Pavelski became clutch again. Devin Setoguchi found the back of the net again. And Dany Heatley DANY HEATLEY! — climbed off the back of the milk carton to pump six shots on Roberto Luongo and do so many little things in his own zone that you felt you were watching a Selke nominee.
Joe Thornton played well in Game 5 despite a separated shoulder. Ryane Clowe(notes) competed through his injuries, which Coach Todd McLellan said will "need to be repaired" this summer.
Yet in the end — and by that we mean in the end of regulation — there it was again for the 2010-11 San Jose Sharks: The Lapse. That momentary plunge into failure that subverts all of their success. And it cost them a victory.
They had seen this before. The two goals in 14 seconds for Willie Mitchell(notes) and Kyle Clifford(notes) in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings. The Ryan Smyth(notes) goal 18 seconds into the third period of Game 6.
The Darren Helm(notes) goal at 18:33 of the third in Game 4 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Jonathan Ericsson(notes) and Danny Cleary(notes) goals less than two minutes apart in Game 5.

They didn't panic.
And they didn't quit.
"We just kept battling and found a way," said Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom after the Red Wings' stormed back with three goals in just over 10 minutes to stun the Sharks 4-3 to force a Game 6 in this playoff series. "We're a team that's never going to give up. Our character really showed in the third period."
It also was the usual suspects who did the final damage to cap a wild comeback that hushed what had been a raucous Shark Tank crowd. Tomas Holmstrom scored with 6:08 remaining by deflecting a Lidstrom slap shot that was set up by Pavel Datsyuk's brilliant puck-handling.
For the Sharks, it was a sickeningly familiar scene watching Holmstrom notch a goal by creating havoc in front of the crease.
"He's one of the best at what he does, planting himself in front of the net and making the big screen," Lidstrom said.
The comeback also demonstrated why the Red Wings, year in and year out, continue to be one the NHL's best teams. It's simply impossible to rattle them.
For two periods, the Sharks had dominated the action -- outshooting the Red Wings 30-16 after two periods. When Logan Couture made it 3-1 just 54 seconds into the third period, the Sharks appeared ready to punch their ticket for the Western.