WINNIPEG, Manitoba _ The most vulnerable segment of the Wild's lineup at the outset of the playoffs was without question its blue line.
Stalwart Ryan Suter was out of the picture, sidelined for the rest of the season with a right ankle fracture, and that meant not one but two rookies would be on the ice _ a difficult challenge against the second-best offense in the NHL.
But through two games, the Wild's defense _ led by goalie Devan Dubnyk _ has bordered on exceeding expectations at times.
Its offense hasn't even met them.
And that issue only became magnified Friday as the Wild were rolled, 4-1, in front of 15,321 at Bell MTS Place in Game 2 to get swept in Winnipeg, the fourth straight series they've fallen behind 0-2.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck needed to make just 16 saves.
The Wild's offense jumped out to a 5-0 edge in shots and earning possession time in the Jets' end via a first-period power play.
But the Jets eventually found their rhythm and began to sling the puck around the zone. Shots ended up on net and just wide, but none went in _ a quality road period for the Wild.
When Winnipeg increased its pressure in the second, that's when the gap between the Jets' offensive ability and the Wild's lack of cohesiveness was amplified.
The difference in brawn was also flexed in the middle frame, as the Jets continued to hammer the Wild, and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien turned in another crushing blow. After leveling center Joel Eriksson Ek with a heavy shoulder check in Game 1, Byfuglien creamed captain Mikko Koivu behind Winnipeg's net during a strong penalty-killing effort by Koivu.
That seemed to energize the Jets even more and at 8:41, Winnipeg finally capitalized. Defenseman Tyler Myers accepted a pass at the point, cut around winger Jason Zucker and sent the puck by Dubnyk's right side for the only tally the Jets needed.
The Wild, meanwhile, totaled five shots in the period and had minimal zone time of substance. Even stringing passes up ice to enter the offensive zone under control was a challenge.
And that remained an issue in the third.
Not for the Jets, though, who scored three more.
Center Paul Stastny buried a behind-the-net feed from Byfuglien at 7:42, and then winger Andrew Copp tipped in a puck after the Wild failed to clear the zone. Winger Patrik Laine wired in the fourth with 2:02 to go. Dubnyk totaled a career-high 39 saves for a playoff game.
A redirect by winger Zach Parise with 45 seconds to go on the power play spoiled Hellebuyck's shutout bid. The Wild went 1-for-4 with the man advantage, while the Jets were 0-for-2.
The Wild finished with 17 shots, three of which came in the third.
While those numbers are certainly discouraging for the Wild, they're not surprising amid the absence of a sustained forecheck _ one of the Wild's strengths during the regular season that has disappeared against the Jets.
Center Eric Staal and wingers Jason Zucker and Nino Niederreiter combined for just five shots; Koivu and Parise and winger Mikael Granlund had only two.
This Winnipeg defense is formidable but not invincible, as evidenced by the two goals the Wild managed Wednesday.
Make no mistake, the Wild's back end has its flaws. But that was expected.
A touch-and-go offense wasn't.
