With spots in the Olympic hockey quarterfinals up for grabs, four teams will try to come out with all they have as they look to stay in medal contention in Tuesday's do-or-die matches at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia.

The Olympic men's ice hockey competition is starting to reach its boiling spot with the playoffs scheduled to begin on Thursday. Switzerland, a team that boasts one of the best defenses in the tournament, is up against Latvia. In the other pairing, the Czech Republic will attempt to keep their medal hopes alive as they take on Slovakia.

Switzerland vs. Latvia

Tuesday's clash will mark the second meeting between two up-and-coming hockey powers in Europe. The first game featured rough defenses employed by both teams, but in the end, the Swiss team's resilience paved the way for the winning goal with 10 seconds remaining on the clock.

Many hockey followers are amazed by the outstanding defense Switzerland has been demonstrating throughout the tournament, especially after coming through with a couple of 1-0 victories and a 1-0 loss to a star-studded Swedish squad.

"They've pitched two 1-0 shutouts and lost to Sweden by that same final score. The Swiss is a team that could do some damage if they get into the quarterfinals, and that's a trip that they'll be looking to secure today. They can't sleep on Latvia though-something that they already found out earlier in the tourney," wrote Franklin Steele of Sports Illustrated Fan Sided.

On the other hand, Latvia might have absorbed more than one defeat, but they managed to show everyone that they are not a pushover in the tournament. With the right mentality heading into their rematch with the Switzerland, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see the Latvians walking into the tunnel with an upset win and a ticket to the quarterfinal round.

Czech Republic vs. Slovakia

It has been a disappointing showing for both the Czech Republic and Slovakia, who were labeled as strong contenders in the men's hockey competition. The Czech team has barely shown their might, while their 1-0 loss to Switzerland exposed their weakness. Meanwhile, Slovakia is also having a rough tournament, highlighted by their loss to Slovenia.

Then again, a win on Thursday could erase all the negatives of the preliminary round, giving them the chance to live another day and perhaps come up with a big win in the final eight.

Live Stream & Schedule

NBC Sports will begin coverage of the Switzerland vs. Latvia / Czech Republic vs. Slovakia playoffs at 12 p.m. EST. Live Streaming will be available on NBC Extra, while scores and updates can be found on ESPN Winter Olympics.