The visitors, playing in lime green, took an early lead through a Colin Slade penalty and went further ahead on the 15 minute mark when Slade crossed near the posts, then converted his own try to make it 10-0.
The Highlanders first five made it more of a one-man show with a penalty to take his side out to 13-0 before a rash of indiscipline led to a brace of penalties from Beauden Barrett to pull the home side back into the match.
The Hurricanes then scored a try through Cory Jane with a handful of minutes to go before the break, and though Barrett missed the conversion, he slotted a penalty on the stroke of halftime to give his side the advantage 14-13.
The Highlanders came out with renewed urgency after the break and Slade soon had them back in front with a penalty.
The visitors started to put some sweeping moves together and should have scored when when Hosea Gear made a sizzling 60m break to put Kade Poki over the line but a pass in the move was ruled forward, though replays showed that may have been a marginal call.
Slade then missed a penalty, and the match entered a scrappy phase before Barrett nailed a penalty to put the Hurricanes back in front, 17-16, with 11 minutes to play.
With five minutes to go the Hurricanes infringed at a ruck, giving Chris Noakes the opportunity to haul the visitors back into the lead, and he made no mistake.
The win means the Highlanders have four wins from four games to lead the New Zealand conference.
The teams observed a minute's silence before kickoff for former NZRU president Jock Hobbs, who died on Tuesday.
