GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- While the majority of collegiate women's hockey went idle during winter break, five current and two former North Dakota women's hockey student-athletes stayed busy playing with their respective national programs in various tournaments in Europe.

Highlighting the slate of international competition, junior forwards Meghan Dufault and Becca Kohler helped the Canadian National Women's Development Team claim gold at the 2015 Nations Cup in Füssen, Germany on Tuesday. Kohler scored the game-winning goal in the gold-medal game against Sweden on Jan. 6. She also scored her team's fourth goal in a 5-1 win against Russia, Jan. 4. Dufault finished the tournament chipping in two assists, one on the power play, and recorded a +3 plus/minus rating over the three-game span.

The Nations Cup, formally known as the Meco Cup and MLP Cup, featured the national squads of Finland, Russia, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland, along with the Canadian National Women's Development Team.

Current defenseman Johanna Fallman and Tanja Eisenschmid skated with Sweden and Germany, respectively. Eisenschmid recorded two assists in Germany's 3-1 against Switzerland, Jan. 5, including one assist on the power play, before ending the tournament with a +1 plus/minus rating. Fallman helped Sweden to silver, recording a +2 plus/minus rating from the blue line.

Former forward Michelle Karvinen skated with Finland at the Nations Cup, helping the Finns to a bronze-medal finish. She led her side in scoring with one goal and three assists, with her goal and two assists coming on the power play.

Prior to participating in the 2015 Nations Cup, Eisenschmid, Fallman, Karvinen and former UND forward Susanna Tapani all skated in the Four Nations Tournament hosted by the Swedish Hockey Federation in Uppsala, Sweden, Dec. 19-21. Karvinen finished that tournament with one goal and two assists, while Tapani led the Finns in scoring with two goals and three assists. Both Eisenschmid and Fallman skated in all three games for their respective clubs during the tournament.

Additionally, current forward and captain Andrea Dalen played with Team Norway in the Female Four Nations Tournament hosted by Hockey France in Amiens, France, Dec. 17-21. Norway went 2-1-0, losing to Switzerland 3-0 and defeating both the Czech Republic and France by a score of 2-1. Dalen scored the game-winner against the Czechs and scored the opening goal against France.

The University of North Dakota women's hockey team returns to action this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 10-11; hosting Syracuse for a nonconference series at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Both games will begin at 2 p.m. (CT).