The Crusaders have held on with 14 men to keep the Highlanders winless, snatching a 17-14 Super Rugby Pacific victory at Christchurch's Orangetheory Stadium.
After the home side took a 17-14 lead into halftime, not a single point was scored in the second half as the Crusaders survived a late scare when reserve hooker Shilo Klein was shown a red card to close out victory.
The victory further consolidates the Crusaders' position as the best of the New Zealand sides, moving into second on the overall ladder, ahead of the Reds, with 23 points from their six matches played so far.
The Reds do have the chance to retake second spot though, when the face the table-topping Brumbies on Saturday night in a showdown of Australia's best two sides.
Defeat meanwhile leaves the Highlanders bottom of the Super Rugby Pacific standings, the only side on either side of the Tasman yet to register a win this season.
Seeking a first win of 2022, the Highlanders started on the front foot in front of an Orangetheory Stadium buoyed by the return of crowds.
Former Crusaders hooker Andrew Makalio opened the scoring for the visitors on the end of a clever set piece, put away after a one-two with Shannon Frizell to grab the first try of the night, touching down in the right corner.
But it took the Crusaders less than five minutes to respond, thanks largely to a piece of individual brilliance from David Havili.
Attacking from a lineout, Havili gathered his own kick over the top before Mitchell Drummond sent front rower Fletcher Newell in for the Crusaders' opening try, levelling the scores at 7-7.
Another former Crusader played a significant role as the Highlanders re-took the lead, as Mitch Hunt delayed a pass perfectly to slip midfielder Scott Gregory in to score, spurring the hosts into action before the break.
A penalty to Richie Mo'unga brought the scores back to 14-10, before the Crusaders took the lead for the first time on the night before halftime.
From the back of a five-metre scrum, Havili was in the act again, and put midfield partner Leicester Fainga'anuku away to score, as the Crusaders' centre got past Highlanders debutant Sean Withy to touch down.
And after playing a hand in both Crusaders tries, Havili had one last chance to stamp his authority on the first half, lining up a 55-metre penalty after the siren - only to miss it to the right.
But if the scoring in the first half was a see-saw affair, the second spell proved to be the exact opposite.
Not a single point was added by either side, with the closest opportunity coming when Hunt missed a penalty that would have taken the Highlanders level and force the match to be decided in golden point.
The Highlanders had chances, with both Shannon Frizell and Folau Fakatava both splitting the Crusaders' line, only for the hosts' defence to hold out.
The Crusaders were struck before fulltime, when Klein was shown a red card for a shoulder to the head of Highlanders prop Ethan de Groot. And despite referee Ben O'Keeffe initially waiving play on, replays eventually confirmed foul play had taken place, and forced the Crusaders to end the match with 14.
But with the red card coming in the 78th minute, it was too little, too late for the Highlanders, who couldn't force one final chance to try and find a winning play.
The Highlanders' wait for victory will at the very least extend into next week, when they face Moana Pasifika in Dunedin, with the current count since their last victory now sitting at 294 days.
Crusaders 17 (Newell 17', Fainga'anuku 31' tries; Mo'unga 14', 32' conversions; Mo'unga 26' penalty)
Highlanders 14 (Makalio 7', Gregory 19' tries; Hunt 9', 21' conversions)
