For a fifth straight year, Bangor television station WABI (Channel 5) will air University of Maine hockey playoff action.

The NCAA informed station officials that they had local TV rights once again and can broadcast Maine’s NCAA Midwest regional semifinal playoff against Michigan at Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

“We received e-mails about it even before Maine’s seeding was announced, so it’s something people associate us with and it’s something we always look forward to,” said WABI program director Steve Hiltz.

WABI’s streak seemed in jeopardy as station officials debated the cost of producing the game along with a programming conflict with CBS’ NCAA Tournament basketball and Iraqi war coverage.

WABI’s dilemma was greatly eased, however, once Hiltz found out that the NCAA would be producing all eight first- round games Saturday, meaning all WABI needs to do is pay a fee and take a satellite feed from NCAA productions.

“This year is the first one I know of where the NCAA has decided to produce all the first- round games themselves,” Hiltz said. “I think it’s because they’ve managed to sell rights to the other games to ESPN and ESPN will syndicate them.”

Thus, Sunday’s Midwest quarterfinal (regional final) is scheduled to be aired by NESN.

The Black Bears will also be on TV Saturday in the Portland market as Portland’s WMTW (Ch. 8) is taking WABI’s feed for the game. Presque Isle’s WAGM (Ch. 8) is not taking the game, but some Aroostook County residents may still be able to see the game.

“My understanding is even though WAGM won’t be carrying it in Presque Isle, we will be on in the Houlton area,” Hiltz said. “The local cable company, which normally blocks us, won’t be for this game.”

The only other problems involved programming conflicts, but WABI may have solved half of that as well as the NCAA is offering Bangor’s WBGR (Ch. 33, Adelphia cable channel 9) the NCAA tourney basketball coverage WABI is pre-empting with Maine hockey. WBGR station officials had not yet received word from the NCAA Tuesday afternoon and could not say whether or not WBGR would carry the games.

As far as ongoing Iraq war coverage, Hiltz said if something big happens, UM hockey coverage may be interrupted.

WABI was the lone Bangor station to submit a bid for NCAA hockey TV rights.

Judy Horan, president and general manager of WLBZ (Ch. 2), said both WLBZ and Portland sister station WCSH (Ch. 6) elected not to bid due to ongoing NBC Iraq war coverage.

“We’re a station that puts great emphasis on news coverage, so that’s our priority right now,” Horan said.

Mike Palmer, G.M. of WVII (Ch. 7), cited dissatisfaction with the NCAA TV rights bidding process for not bidding.

“The reason? It’s been my experience here in Bangor that their bid procedures are less than transparent,” said Palmer, who didn’t elaborate further.

WZON radio of Bangor (620 AM) will continue its coverage of the Maine hockey team and will also be broadcasting the NCAA tourney games, featuring play-by-play man Dan Hannigan and analyst Larry Mahoney.