Toronto Maple Leafs forward Carter Ashton has been suspended 20 games for violating the NHLs performance-enhancing substance policy. The suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment, per an NHL release. Ashton will forfeit $169,185 during the suspension. The 23-year-old Ashton released a statement regarding the suspension, claiming he suffered an asthmatic spasm in late August during summer training and was given an inhaler by another player. Ashton kept the inhaler and used it a second time early in training camp after another asthma attack. Unfortunately, I incorrectly assumed that there were no problems associated with the use of this inhaler and I used it without checking to see whether its contents were permissible under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, Ashton said in his statement. I now recognize that I ingested Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance, through the inhaler. However, at no time was I seeking to gain an athletic advantage or to knowingly violate the terms of the program. I used the inhaler in response to exercise-induced asthma, a condition that my doctor with the Toronto Maple Leafs has since diagnosed and he has prescribed me with an inhaler. Ashton has been held pointless in three games with the Maple Leafs this season, spending the majority of the season to-date in the Leafs press box. As a professional hockey player, I recognize that I am responsible for what I put into my body, and I will not appeal my suspension. While I am extremely disappointed that I have let my teammates, our fans and the Maple Leafs organization down, I will work very hard during my suspension to stay in game shape so that I can help out the team when I am able to return.” Team President Brendan Shanahan released a statement Thursday, backing the Leagues decision. He added that no further comments would be made out of respect for Ashton and the process involved. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2012 NHL trade deadline, Ashton has spent parts of the past three seasons with the Maple Leafs, registering three assists in 50 games. He was originally selected in the first round (29th overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. St. Louis Cardinals Store . Fifth-seeded Cilic gained his fourth title in Zagreb and became the third Croat overall to win at least 10 career titles. Cilic also lifted his career record in Zagreb to 22-4, winning 20 of his last 21 matches at the event. Junior Fernandez Jersey . Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. 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St. Louis Cardinals Shirts .C. -- With a chance to start over and maybe drive in any series he wanted, Juan Pablo Montoya thought long and hard about what mattered most at this stage of his career.The Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder take their entertaining Western Conference semifinal series, knotted at 1-1, to Staples Center Friday night for Game 3. Watch the game live on TSN2 and TSN GO at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt. The Thunder, perhaps strengthened by the pregame MVP presentation to Kevin Durant Wednesday night, evened the series with a 112-101 victory in Game 2 at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Durant led the way with 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists for a near triple-double. Russell Westbrook did enough for his fourth postseason triple- double thanks to 31 points, 10 boards and 10 helpers. "We set the bar high for ourselves," Durant said. "We have a high standard that we try to reach. We work extremely hard. One thing about Russ, he demands so much out of everybody and brings the level of the team up with his intensity and his effort." What was absent in the Thunders 17-point loss at home on Monday was found in evening the series as role players like Thabo Sefolosha, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins all provided solid production. Sefolosha scored 12 of his 14 points in a momentum-building third quarter. The defensive specialist, who scored just 17 points in the first round against Memphis and didnt play a minute in Games 6 and 7, scored on back-to-back possessions to cap a 10-2 run in the third that stretched Oklahoma Citys lead to 78-66 midway through the period. Sefolosha then ignited an 11-0 flurry minutes later with a 3-pointer. Ibaka netted 14 with seven rebounds and Perkins pulled down nine boards for aa frontcourt that helped Oklahoma City to a 52-36 edge on the glass.dddddddddddd But now the series shifts to Staples Center. OKC split two meetings in LA this season with the Clippers and is 3-1 in its last four as the visitor in this matchup. "We have to do the same thing in Los Angeles," OKC coach Scott Brooks said on Thursday. "We know how theyre feeling. After you lose, you want to come back and redeem (yourself) and play much better. We have to come out with the same mindset, same approach and same determination that we had last game." Chris Paul finished with 17 points and 11 assists to lead the Clippers but was far from the otherworldly force he was in the opener. J.J. Redick scored a team-high 18 points but had just two after halftime, and Blake Griffin, who finished third in the MVP voting, shot just 5-of-13 from the field for 15 points. The Clippers only made a third of their 3-point attempts (9-of-27) after connecting on 15-of-29 from long range in their homecourt-stealing Game 1 victory. "They were the more physical team," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. "I dont think we were very tough mentally tonight." Perhaps the Clippers can gain some momentum themselves from a player winning an award. On Thursday, Jamal Crawford was named the Sixth Man of the Year for the second time in his career. "Theres so many people that helped out with this," said Crawford. "My teammates, my coaching staff, I hope we can all share it." Game 4 will be Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. ' ' '