The University of Maine Black Bears appear to be favored to win the Hockey East regular season title, but there could be a stiff challenge from the Providence College Friars.

That was the concensus of the league’s coaches as Boston College, winner of six of seven league championships, has been decimated by graduation, the United States Olympic team, and the pros.

Boston University, which reached the NCAA final only to lose to Northern Michigan 8-7 in three overtimes, also absorbed several key losses.

“Maine deserves its No. 1 ranking in the nation as well as in Hockey East,” said BU Coach Jack Parker. “Maine has the firepower and they’ve got (Mike) Dunham and (Garth) Snow in goal. They may not have brand names on defense, but they’re always such a good team defensively. Northern Michigan and Maine are the two teams to beat (for the national title).”

“I think Maine is way up there,” said UMass-Lowell first-year head coach and former Maine assistant Bruce Crowder. “I don’t think Providence is with Maine right now.”

Northeastern first-year coach Ben Smith said, “Providence and Maine should fight it out. Maine is very strong, but (Rob) Gaudreau and (Mike) Boback are tough to handle, too.”

Merrimack Coach Ron Anderson also thought Maine and Providence would battle for the title.

“And I think BU will be right in there somewhere,” said Merrimack Coach Ron Anderson. “They lost a bunch, but they had a good recruiting year. UNH will be in a pack with BC, and then there will be a dogfight for the last three spots.”

“We’ve got a solid team, probably the best one I’ve had here,” said Providence seventh-year Coach Mike McShane. “But Maine has the advantage with its strength and experince.”

McShane also said, “I think the league is going to be a lot stronger than people think because a lot of the incoming freshmen are impact players.”

“Our league has some of the best goalies in the country. There’s (UNH goalie Jeff) Levy, Dunham, (BC goalie Scott) LaGrand, and there are a couple of good goalies at Providence (Brad Mullahy and Mike Heinke),” said UNH Coach Dick Umile. “That will make things very competitive.”

The 1991-92 season will be the swan song for BC Coach Len Ceglarski, who will coach his 20th and final season at BC after spending 14 years as the head coach at Clarkson University.

Between the two schools, the 65-year-old Ceglarski has notched 659 wins against 321 losses and 35 ties.

“I haven’t thought a lot about it (retiring),” said Ceglarski. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I’m still anxious to coach every day. Once in a while, I’ll start counting months. But that doesn’t last very long because I realize I’m not getting anything done.

“Coaching keeps you busy enough so that I don’t have much time to think about what’s going to happen (after coaching),” added Ceglarski. “I’m just going to go out and do the best job I can this year.”