A First Win With the Olympics in Sight for Sanni Ahola
Sanni Ahola stopped 31 shots in Halifax to earn her first PWHL win, leaning on the same calm that defines her game.
For Sanni Ahola, her first win didn’t arrive quietly, and it didn’t arrive easily.
It came in Halifax, on the road, in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,452 at Scotiabank Centre, and only after the game stretched past regulation and overtime and into a shootout. Making just her second start of the season, Ahola stopped 31 shots and three of five shootout attempts to help the Ottawa Charge defeat the Boston Fleet 2–1, securing her first PWHL victory.
AHOLA-tta saves in her first career PWHL win! ✅
— Ottawa Charge (@PWHL_Ottawa) January 12, 2026
Many more to come! Congratulations, Sanni 🥳 pic.twitter.com/jeoxvN6ln0
For a goaltender who had spent time away from the ice earlier this season dealing with injuries and waiting for her opportunity, the moment carried weight.
“Oh, so amazing,” Ahola told The Ice Garden. “Being away for a little while, injuries, you know… to come back and get that win, it meant a lot.”
The game demanded patience from the start. Boston struck early, the pace stayed high, and every save mattered as Ottawa pushed back. When the night reached a shootout, Ahola leaned into the moment.
“I love shootouts, so I didn’t mind,” she said.
It was her first PWHL shootout, coming against some of the league’s most dangerous shooters. The pressure didn’t overwhelm her though, instead it reinforced her confidence.
“Now I know I can help my team win,” she said. “I can play against those best players in the world.”
That belief has been building quietly. When Ahola spoke with The Ice Garden after being selected by Ottawa in the 2025 PWHL Draft, she described herself as a calm, composed goaltender, someone who doesn’t rely on flash to be effective.
“I’m usually very calm,” she said in June. “I don’t like to kind of make a big deal out of myself or make big flashy saves.”
That calmness, she believed, could spread outward.
“I’ve heard from my teammates that that calmness kind of spreads,” she said. “They see a calm goaltender behind them, and they can trust me.”
Now, that same steadiness is being tested, and reinforced, in professional games with the Ottawa Charge.
The timing of Ahola’s first win made the moment even more meaningful. Just over a week earlier, she learned she would be heading to her first Olympic Games with Finland, a dream she has had for a long time.
MORE CHARGE REPRESENTATION ON THE WORLD STAGE! 🇫🇮
— Ottawa Charge (@PWHL_Ottawa) January 2, 2026
Defender Ronja Savolainen and goaltender Sanni Ahola have both been selected to represent Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics! This will be Ronja’s third Olympic appearance, and Sanni’s first. Congratulations! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/RHBRpTJqVg
“It hasn’t hit me quite yet,” Ahola said. “But it’s a dream. I’ve always dreamed of the Olympics.”
The confirmation brought relief as much as excitement.
“So kind of finally hearing the news,” she continued, “just… wow.”
Ahola isn’t changing anything about how she prepares. She says she’s sticking with what’s worked for her so far, keeping her routine the same and not letting herself get too far ahead of the moment.
“I’m not doing anything differently,” she said. “I’m just sticking to that normal routine, not thinking about the Olympics quite yet.”
When Ahola does look further ahead, her goals remain simple. She wants to win, and she wants to contribute in whatever way she can.
"The goal is to get the cup... but taking baby steps with the team, getting better and trying my best to help the team every day.”
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