By Kevin Dillon/DFP StaffThe Boston University men’s hockey team was ranked sixth in the annual Hockey East men’s preseason coaches’ poll Tuesday, which is the program’s first time finishing outside of the top four since 2005.“The strength of our league is the depth, especially when you add a team like [No. 7 University of] Notre Dame to it, and then next year [University of Connecticut] coming to the league,” said BU coach David Quinn. “It’s a challenge night in and night out in this league. I’ve played in it. I’ve coached in it. I understand that.“It’s going to be the team that stays healthy, the team that gets some breaks, the team that has great leadership and great goaltending. Those are the teams that are going to have a chance to have success, and we’re hoping we’re one of them.”The Terriers, who earned 67 points in the voting, are behind No. 1 University of Massachusetts-Lowell and No. 4 Boston College, who are tied atop the Hockey East coaches’ poll with 104 points apiece. Lowell, which is coming off its first Hockey East regular-season and tournament championships in program history, received seven first-place votes. BC, which has been atop the preseason poll for six straight seasons now, received four first-place votes.