The Hurricanes won, 23-19 in a match where both sides were down to last man standing at the end.
The game was a see-sawing battle throughout the 80 minutes and both sides showed impressive scrambling defence.
It is the third loss in a row for the Highlanders but itthe team played better than its previous two games and a win is not far away.
The match was on a knife edge right through the second half and neither team could put in the killer blow to put the game away.
The Highlanders improved greatly from their performance last week but just could not convert some chances which came along, particularly in the second half.
It was not helped by losing skipper Andrew Hore in the first 10 minutes.
Most impressive for the home team was winger Hosea Gear, first five-eighth Colin Slade while No 8 Elliot Dixon had his best game in the Highlanders jersey.
Best for the Hurricanes was halfback TJ Perenara, No 8 Victor Vito and lock Jason Eaton.
Perenara put his side ahead early in the second half wiggling over from about 5m. But Slade then replied with another penalty and with 20 minutes to go the game could have gone either way.
The Hurricanes scored the first try of the match through captain Conrad Smith.
They recycled the ball more than a dozen times before Smith burrowed over in the seventh minute.
The Highlanders then watched skipper Hore walk off the park with sore ribs and things were looking bleak for the home team.
But Slade slotted a penalty to put the Highlanders on the board.
The match then hit a dull patch before Slade kicked a second penalty from right in front to put the Highlanders in front halfway through the second half.
The Hurricanes though came back and after a kick was partially charged down they moved the ball wide and big prop Ben Franks found the tryline.
Gear, who was having an impressive first half, then got on the score sheet for the home team, taking a short ball from a 5m scrum and bumping off a tackle to score.
Hurricanes 23 (Conrad Smith, Ben Franks, TJ Perenara tries, Beauden Barrett 1 con, 2 pen) Highlanders 19 (Hosea Gear try, Colin Slade 4 pen, con) Halftime: 13-12 Highlanders.
Halftime:
