Its not ironic, but Bruno did make some comments awhile back that, if you read between the lines, he blamed Pataki for those losses.
Pataki, talks like a supply sider sometimes, but acts in the total opposite direction, and he has never, ever, done anything to help other republicans in the state or tried to groom or recruit or build any kind of coalition.
It says something about him,when you consider, that the GOP was stronger, before he got to office (and this is NYS) then it is now.
I'd blame Pataki for some things, I'm not so sure I'd give him the blame for D'Amato, though. D'Amato was certainly used to having fend for himself in some REALLY bad GOP years ('86/'92) and pulling it out. I think his brutal honesty with calling that scumbag opponent of his what everyone in the state knew he was probably what helped to sink him. I know a lot of people on FR weren't big fans of Al, but personally, I miss him a LOT.
As for Pataki, he always had the additional problem of not being a particularly dynamic politician. He won initially because he looked like an amiable (dunce) who wasn't evil incarnate like Mario Cuomo, and has had luck with poor opposition ever since. But as you said, the GOP was a much stronger entity going into the 1994 elections than it is now, and ultimately, Pataki has to be held largely accountable as the party leader.