  Lobb observed in [arXiv:1103.1412] that each equivariant sl(N)
Khovanov-Rozansky homology over C[a] admits a standard decomposition of a
simple form.
  In the present paper, we derive a formula for the corresponding Lee-Gornik
spectral sequence in terms of this decomposition. Based on this formula, we
give a simple alternative definition of the Lee-Gornik spectral sequence using
exact couples. We also demonstrate that an equivariant sl(N) Khovanov-Rozansky
homology over C[a] can be recovered from the corresponding Lee-Gornik spectral
sequence via this formula. Therefore, these two algebraic invariants are
equivalent and contain the same information about the link.
  As a byproduct of the exact couple construction, we generalize Lee's
endomorphism on the rational Khovanov homology to a natural exterior algebra
action on the sl(N) Khovanov-Rozansky homology.
  A numerical link invariant called torsion width comes up naturally in our
work. It determines when the corresponding Lee-Gornik spectral sequence
collapses and is bounded from above by the homological thickness of the sl(N)
Khovanov-Rozansky homology. We use the torsion width to explain why the Lee
spectral sequences of certain H-thick links collapse so fast.
