SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -Ben Guite and T.J. Hensick scored on graceful deflections, and Jose Theodore returned from injury to make 30 saves in the Colorado Avalanche's stellar defensive effort in a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.

Brett Clark's shots were redirected to score both early goals for the Avalanche, which split its four-game season series with San Jose by holding on through a frenzied third period. After the Avalanche survived an exhilarating 80-second barrage by the Sharks with their goalie pulled, Jeff Finger added an empty-net goal in the final second.

Theodore, who missed Colorado's last three games with back spasms, made a handful of outstanding saves to preserve his sixth win in nine starts.

Captain Patrick Marleau scored and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 22 shots for the Sharks, whose three-game home winning streak was snapped by the Avalanche's superior defense. The Sharks had one of the NHL's worst home records for much of the season before getting on their longest roll of the season early in their six-game homestand.

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