All good runs must come to an end. The New York Rangers faced that sad realization during the 2009-2010 season that saw the franchise sitting on their hands come mid-April despite finding their way to the post season in each of the previous 4 go-rounds. Remarkably consistent over the prior 4 year span, the Rangers saw their seasonal point totals vary only marginally ranging from a high of 100 in 2005-2006 to a low of 94 in 22006-2007, while ending the year 3^rd in the Atlantic Division for 3 straight campaigns before its 4^th place finish in 2008-2009. This past year ended with the Rangers on the outside of the Stanley Cup chase looking in, despite putting up numbers not too different from its more successful predecessors. If this is the beginning of a decline for the Rangers, the Madison Square Garden faithful enjoyed only a moderate peak, culminating in a series of decent regular season performances and never advancing further than the Conference Semifinals in the Blueshirts’ Cup quest. (more…)