After hammering the Hurricanes' line in the dying minutes at Forsyth Barr Stadium, the side was unable to breakthrough.
It succumbed to a 31-28 loss, leaving it well and truly chasing its season.
The key period came midway through the second half.
Momentum was well and truly with the Highlanders, scoring two quick tries and leading 28-17.
However, a bad kick and several missed tackles allowed the Hurricanes to hit straight back.
Quick tries to Ardie Savea and Ngani Laumape put the visitors in front and it was a lead they never relinquished.
The Highlanders spent much of the final 10 minutes on attack and had three lineout drives from penalties late.
However, the Hurricanes defence held.
Earlier it had been the Highlanders defence that was absorbing the pressure.
The Hurricanes turned down several shots at goal, depriving the hosts of possession and hammering them in their 22.
But the defence held and it was the Highlanders that took the first lead 20 minutes in.
That came via a Shannon Frizell try, the blindside flanker stretching out to score after several phases of pick and go.
The Hurricanes hit back nearly straight away, ghosting through an injured Richard Buckman hobbling on one leg.
That left the Highlanders to scramble and while they stopped the initial break TJ Perenara sniped through a gap close in to score several phases later.
A lineout drive gave the Highlanders the lead back not long after.
Ash Dixon found Tom Franklin cleanly, before joining the back of the maul and crashing over.
After the Hurricanes turned down another handy shot, the Highlanders looked dangerous as the first half drew to a close.
However, Ardie Savea came up with an intercept against the run of play just before halftime and ran 65m to score and make it 14-14 at the break.
Beauden Barrett slotted a penalty to put the Hurricanes up 17-14 just after halftime.
But a Kayne Hammington try put the Highlanders ahead, the halfback sniping to score under the posts after a dominant scrum.
That became 28-17 minutes later when the Dixon-Franklin combination set up another lineout drive for James Lentjes to crash over.
Just as momentum had gone the Highlanders' way, a bad kick from Marty Banks allowed the Hurricanes to launch a counterattack.
Ben Lam ran through several defenders, before linking with Ardie Savea, who scored to make it 28-24 with 20 minutes left.
Not long after the Hurricanes took the lead.
Barrett took the ball to the line and offloaded to Ngani Laumape, who ran untouched to score from 40m out.
The Highlanders looked to come back late, but were unable to break through.