Wild muscle up, gird for physical Blues team

Updated:   04/13/2015 07:49:20 PM CDT

As the Wild kicked off three straight days of practice before starting the playoffs Thursday in St. Louis, coach Mike Yeo showed his cards, offering the first glimpse at the lineup he'll use for Game 1 against the Blues.

Yeo said there's "a good chance" that left wing Matt Cooke has won the five-man roster battle for an opening on the fourth line, and that defenseman Jordan Leopold will start over Nate Prosser.

Cooke earned the final forward spot in part because of his team-high 103 playoff games. But he also has recorded two points in two games since returning from sports hernia surgery and brings a strong physical presence to a matchup against a physical…