SYDNEY, N.S. - Prince Edward Island has become the adopted home team at this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts. 

Nova Scotia’s Jill Brothers had a disappointing week in Sydney, blowing a big 10th end lead in her opening game before losing her voice and finishing with a 2-5 record.

Other East Coast teams like Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick failed to get much going either.

Except for the curlers from the island. 

Suzanne Birt and her rink out of the Charlottetown Curling Complex have surprisingly been one of the most intriguing teams at Centre 200 with their high-octane offence that has led to double digit point totals and multiple scoring records. 

On Monday, they upset Canada’s Jennifer Jones and the defending champions. Then, on Tuesday, PEI topped New Brunswick 13-12 in the highest combined scoring game in Scotties history. They would throttle Northwest Territories 15-5 in their next contest, tying a Scotties record for most point scored in a single game. The steal of six they had in the eighth also tied a record.

Birt attributes getting as many rocks in play as possible and the addition of the five-rock rule, making its Scotties debut this year, as reasons for the high point totals. The rule is simple: stones not in the house can’t be removed until five rocks have been played.

“The team that is down in points is never out the game,” Birt said about the five-rock rule. “It makes for more interesting games in the later ends.”

Fans are starting to notice and get behind their fellow offensive-savvy East Coasters.

“It’s great to have all the friends and family here supporting us,” said PEI third Marie Christianson on Friday. “It’s nice that even the Atlantic teams that are not in it anymore, they’ve been here and cheering us on. It’s so nice to see the Maritime pride.” 

After Birt made a beautiful – and very difficult – double takeout to score three against Ontario’s Rachel Homan on Friday, many in the crowd started chanting “PEI! PEI! PEI!” with some even sporting Anne of Green Gables wigs, a PEI staple. 

“The crowd has been absolutely fantastic,” Birt said this week. “It really uplifts you when you hear chants for your team so we are really happy to have the support.”

And that wasn’t the only highlight reel shot Birt has made this week. You may not see Birt a lot on tour, but her play this week is nothing new for Christianson.

“She’s a great skip. She makes tons of shots all the time,” said Christianson. “She showed up this week 100 per cent and definitely has all the experience here to make every shot.”

Team Birt dropped their evening match to Northern Ontario's Krista McCarville. They finish 6-5 and out of the playoffs. 

PEI has never won a Canadian women’s championship. In fact, Nova Scotia is the only East Coast province to stand atop the podium at week’s end thanks to Colleen Jones and her six titles. 

“It would mean the world to us,” said Birt.

After taking two years away from the game, the 37-year-old Birt returned to competitive curling in 2018-19 and won her 10th provincial crown last month. A former world junior champion, Birt captured the bronze medal in her first Scotties appearance back in 2003 in Kitchener but hasn’t made the playoffs since 2007. 

Let’s see if Birt and PEI have a little more magic left in the tank.