updated 10:49 p.m. ET May 14, 2006

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose Sharks fans loudly booed the Canadian national anthem Sunday night before Game 5 of their team’s second-round playoff series with the Edmonton Oilers.

The vociferous booing started from the opening notes of singer Annmarie Martin’s rendition of “O Canada.” While other fans attempted to drown it out by singing along, the boos were audible until the final notes.

Pregame anthem booing was a hot-button issue in sports shortly after the beginning of the war in Iraq, with fans in Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Montreal’s Bell Centre and other arenas booing their neighbors’ anthem from 2002-04.

There was no apparent political motive for the booing in San Jose — just a questionable expression of the fans’ dislike of the Oilers, who won the last two games in Edmonton to tie the series at two games apiece.

The Shark Tank fans didn’t boo “O Canada” before the first two games, and fans in Edmonton didn’t boo “The Star-Spangled Banner” last week.

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Devils get it done in Game 5

NJ blows three-goal lead, but Ryan Carter's late goal helps No. 6 seed beat NY Rangers 5-3, move within one win of Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday.

NBC Sports

Highlights: Devils defeat Rangers in Game 5

  In New York, New Jersey took Game 5 with a 5-3 win and lead the series 3-2. The Rangers fought back from an early 3 goal deficit in the first period to tie the game early in the third period, only to see the Devils score two unanswered goals to win the game.

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