The Hurricanes celebrated Ma'a Nonu's 150th Super Rugby match by earning their seventh straight win of the 2015 season over the Stormers in Wellington.
The Hurricanes withstood a second half comeback to win 25-20, after skipping out to a 25-3 lead at halftime when first five-eighth Beauden Barrett scored their third try and converted it himself from the sideline after a 95-metre counter-attacking movement.
But sweeping attacking play turned to tight defence throughout almost the entire second half as the Stormers re-emerged from the sheds totally committed, dominating most of the second 40 minutes through their physical, well-organised forward play.
The visitors hit back with a penalty try from an attacking scrum under the Hurricanes posts and a converted try out wide to centre Huw Jones, to close the gap to 25-17 with under 15 minutes remaining.
Still in the ascendancy, Stormers replacement first five-eighth Kurt Coleman kicked a 42-metre penalty with five minutes to play, leaving the Hurricanes to hang on gallantly over the final few minutes.
For almost the first time in the entire second half, the Hurricanes re-gained possession and attacked the Stormers. But the Stormers tapped and went from a penalty and the Hurricanes were asked to hang on to the very end when the final whistle was sounded in injury time.
Earlier, scores were locked at 3-3 after early penalties when the Hurricanes created their first clear try-scoring chance of the contest after 15 minutes after a break through a ruck by lock James Broadhurst and an inside pass to prop Reggie Goodes and halfback TJ Perenera that neither could grasp.
Barrett landed his second penalty, doubling their score to 6-3, this penalty being Barrett's 136th penalty in Super Rugby, breaking David Holwell's previous all-time record of 135 penalties for the Hurricanes.
Hurricanes fullback Milner-Skudder then scored the Hurricanes' first try, when Barrett kicked for the corner after a Hurricanes attacking scrum for Julian Savea to run on to. Savea couldn't reel in the ball, but Milner-Skudder came through in support and scored. Barrett added the conversion to put the Hurricanes ahead 13-3 after 27 minutes.
The Hurricanes went close to scoring a 70-metre try after winning a free kick from a scrum. No. 8 Brad Shields tapped and found Milner-Skudder who burst up the touchline and linked up with Perenara on his inside. The Hurricanes won the ruck ball and Barrett passed out to Savea but he knocked on.
Two minutes later, the Hurricanes launched from another scrum, 35 metres out, through Milner-Skudder again. He ran hard at the last line of Stormers defence and passed one-handed to Savea who held on and crossed to score their second try to put the Hurricanes ahead 18-3.
The Hurricanes then scored their third try with the last play before halftime, a vintage Hurricanes try that had Westpac Stadium in full voice.
The Stormers were attacking inside the Hurricanes' 22, but they coughed the ball up at a ruck, allowing the Hurricanes to have a go at their line. Perenara set Shields away, who galloped into open space and linked up with second five-eighth Nonu. In an interchange of passing, this pair found Barrett in support and he scored and converted the try to put them 25-3 ahead at halftime.
The second half was a different story for the home side, who were forced to shelve their attacking ambitions for over 30 minutes of defence.
That the Stormers could only break through for one try to an individual player showed the Hurricanes' character and commitment under pressure and they head into a well-deserved bye next weekend.
Scores:
Hurricanes 25 (Nehe Milner-Skudder, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett tries; Barrett 2 pen, 2 con) Stormers 20 (Penalty try, Huw Jones tries; Demetri Catrakilis pen, 2 con, Kurt Coleman pen). HT: 25-3.
The scoring action (by minute)
10th: Beauden Barrett penalty. Hurricanes 3-0
14th: Demetri Catrakilis penalty. Hurricanes 3-3
20th: Beauden Barrett penalty. Hurricanes 6-3
26th: Nehe Milner-Skudder try. Hurricanes 11-3
27th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 13-3
36th: Julian Savea try. Hurricanes 18-3
40th: Beauden Barrett try. Hurricanes 23-3
41st (first) Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 25-3
48th: Stormers penalty try. Hurricanes 25-8
49th: Demetri Catrakilis conversion. Hurricanes 25-10
65th: Huw Jones try. Hurricanes 25-15
66th: Demetri Catrakilis conversion. Hurricanes 25-17
74th: Kurt Coleman penalty. Hurricanes 25-20
The Hurricanes team was:
1. Reggie Goodes Replaced by Chris Eves, 66th minute
2. Motu Matu'u Replaced by Motu Matu'u, 54th minute
3. Ben Franks Replaced by Ben May, 72nd minute
4. Jeremy Thrush
5. James Broadhurst Replaced by James Broadhurst, 66th minute
6. Brad Shields
7. Callum Gibbins
8. Victor Vito Replaced by Adam Hill, 27th minute
9. TJ Perenara Replaced by Chris Smylie, 72nd minute
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Julian Savea
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Cory Jane
15. Nehe Milner-Skudder
Reserves
16.Brayden Mitchell
17.Ben May
18.Chris Eves
19.Mark Abbott
20.Adam Hill
21.Chris Smylie
22.Rey Lee-Lo
23.James Marshall