DETROIT -- Todd Bertuzzi’s path to his 1,000th NHL game was detoured by controversy and injuries, making him wonder at times whether he would ever make it this far.

A smooth ride during his second stint with the Detroit Red Wings made it possible.

"(Age) 30 to 34 kind of sucked, but I was lucky to get a second shot at coming back to Detroit, playing some fun hockey and around some quality, quality guys," Bertuzzi, 36, said. "It makes coming to the rink very enjoyable."

Bertuzzi will play in his 1,000th game Sunday at Minnesota. The normally reserved power forward is pumped up about the impending milestone.

"I’m really excited," Bertuzzi said. "The Ilitches (team owners Mike and Marian) and Mr. Holland (general manager Ken) and the coaching staff allowed me to take my wife and two kids to Minnesota. I think that’s going to be pretty special having them there, and I’m pretty fortunate to (have played) that many games. I’ve played on some good teams and with some good players, but I’m pretty proud and excited to be playing in a Detroit uniform."

Bertuzzi has found stability with the Red Wings after one-year stints in Anaheim and Calgary. He regretted leaving Detroit as a free agent following his stay in 2006-07. But he is grateful to have gotten a second opportunity in August 2009.

"It was a blessing not going back to Calgary, having the opportunity when Kenny called, asking if we could get something done," Bertuzzi said. "Things were pretty good last year. Unfortunately, with injuries, we didn’t go as far as we thought we should have. This year, we have everyone relatively healthy and we’re looking for better things."

The Red Wings are seeking their season-high fifth consecutive victory today. Bertuzzi has been one of the catalysts during this run, with six goals in four games -- three two-goal games. After playing with various linemates this season, he is meshing well with Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen.

"You just got to get to those soft spots and play hard, and that’s where you get your opportunities," Bertuzzi said.

He is not the physical force he was earlier in his career with Vancouver, but he still uses his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame to his advantage.

"He holds the puck, shields it, makes great plays behind the net where he can bring it out himself because of his size," Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood said. "He’s got such good hands he can make really good passes off that."

Said team captain Nicklas Lidstrom: "He’s just one of those power forwards who are tough to defend. You can tell when he plays with confidence -- he’s hanging onto the puck, (opponents) can’t get the puck off him. That’s when he uses his size to his advantage and can take the puck to the net."

Coaches and teammates are just as impressed with Bertuzzi’s commitment to defense. He has consistently back-checked hard this season.

"You don’t want to say one-dimensional, but he was mainly an offensive guy, never known for being that great in his own zone," Osgood said. "When he came here he made a commitment to being a better all-around player. His talent has never been in question. He’s one of those guys who’s changed his game to play longer. He’s playing smarter, better. He can play all over the ice now. You can put him out there in any situation."

Bertuzzi missed 67 games in 2006-07, mostly with Florida, because of back surgery. He missed time the next two seasons because of a variety of injuries (concussion, knee, hip flexor, groin). But he has been remarkably durable during his second stint in Detroit — he hasn’t missed a game, having played 152 in a row, regular season and playoffs.

The lasting image many fans have of Bertuzzi is his March 8, 2004, incident with Steve Moore, when he punched the Colorado forward from behind and landed on top of him. Moore sustained a career-ending neck injury and Bertuzzi was suspended for the remainder of the season.

Bertuzzi still is booed in several arenas because of the incident.

"He’s not this big, mean guy that everyone has him out to be," Osgood said. "He’s a nice guy, reserved, doesn’t like to talk too much about himself. If you talk about him he gets embarrassed. He just likes to be one of the guys in the room."

And there is no place Bertuzzi would rather be as he pursues his first Stanley Cup championship.

"I’m at a good place right now, and hopefully we can continue to win games and keep building this momentum and end the season strong," Bertuzzi said.