Five games in, and we finally have some intrigue in the Stanley Cup Final.

The San Jose Sharks staved off a furious Pittsburgh Penguins attack Thursday, living to fight another day and forcing Game 6 in California on Sunday night.

It may not have been the performance San Jose was searching for, being outshot 46-22, but it was certainly the end result they needed.

Here are three keys to the Sharks extending the series.

Martin Jones

In record-setting fashion, Jones stole the show. After making 44 saves, the 26-year-old became only the third goalie since 1987-88 to make 40-plus regulation saves in the Stanley Cup Final.

Additionally, Jones set a franchise record for regulation saves in the postseason, and made the most stops in a Stanley Cup elimination game since 1968.

Simply put, his performance was one for the history books, but the Sharks can't allow Jones to be under siege again if they want to force a Game 7. While Jones became the fourth netminder since 1990 to register multiple 40-save games in the Final, none of the previous three won the Cup.

Logan Couture

It's apt to say Couture is enjoying the spotlight.

For a team desperately in need of an offensive spark, it was Couture - the postseason points leader - who stepped up, delivering three points in the first period.

A secondary assist on Brent Burns' opener, a beautiful deflection goal of his own, and a silky pass to Melker Karlsson for the eventual game-winner yielded Couture's most impressive performance yet.

Couture has been San Jose's most involved forward throughout the entire series, and has built a seven-point cushion atop the points leaderboard with 29. He's scored five points in five games, without doubt carrying a silent offense on his back.

The lead

Finally, San Jose was ahead.

The Sharks jumped out to a lead 1:04 into Game 5, remarkably their first goal advantage of the series.

Although they relinquished an early 2-0 lead, they got it back, and held on for dear life. The Sharks lamented their lack of leads earlier in the series, and though it was a close call, learning they're capable of hanging on could pay dividends as they head home.

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