The Hurricanes have held on to defeat Western Force, taking a highscoring, 13-try Super Rugby Pacific thriller 45-42 at Palmerston North.
After naming a rotated side missing key players, the Hurricanes gamble looked to have paid off at halftime, with a 26-7 lead, but they let in five second-half tries to squander the chance of a bonus point.
The only saving grace for the Hurricanes came in their attack, scoring seven tries, to hold on for their third successive victory.
The win sees the Hurricanes leapfrog the Brumbies into second place on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, now sitting second only to the Chiefs - the only side to boast a perfect six-from-six record to start the season.
In a fast start to the first half, the Hurricanes scored twice in the opening 10 minutes.
Even missing Ardie Savea on All Blacks rest orders, the Hurricanes forwards showed their wares, with Du'Plessis Kirifi and Brayden Iose both going over for a 14-0 lead.
The Force hit back, when lock Jeremy Williams went over from close range, but Hurricanes captain Dane Coles scored in response.
Iose's second gave the Hurricanes a 26-7 lead at the break, but their defensive structure abandoned them after the restart.
A well-worked team move put Bailyn Sullivan over in the left corner just after the break, for a 31-7 advantage, while Kini Naholo scored shortly after coming off the bench to make it 38-14.
From there, both sides spent the backend of the second half trading tries. Replacement hooker Hame Faiva scored from a lineout drive to move the Hurricanes into bonus-point contention, leading 45-21 inside the last 10 minutes.
Three unanswered tries to end the game saw the Force not only deny their opposition, but claim a bonus point of their own.
Replacement prop Siosifa Amone and reserve first-five Jake Strachan - a late inclusion, after injury to Bryce Hegarty - both grabbed tries before 80 minutes, wiping away the Hurricanes' bonus point at 45-34.
As the Hurricanes pushed well into added time for an eighth try, a turnover and crossfield kick from Strachan sent winger Zach Kibirigie down the right wing, where he scored in the corner to end the game.
Regardless of the manner of the victory, the Hurricanes still moved two points clear of the Brumbies into second place, before they head to Dunedin next week to face the sixth-placed Highlanders.
Meanwhile, the Force will return to Australia after three weeks - and three straight defeats - on Kiwi soil.
Hurricanes 45 (Kirifi, Iose 2, Coles, Sullivan, Naholo, Faiva tries; Barrett 5 conversions) Western Force 42 (Williams, Simpson, Kibirige 2, Amone, Strachan tries; Simpson 3, Strachan 3 conversions)
