Jason Woodward's intercept try sealed a bonus point 29-14 Investec Super Rugby win over the Reds on a night where the Hurricanes collective character again came to the fore at Westpac Stadium.
In blustery conditions the home team put five tries past a Reds team fired up to honour lock Rob Simmons' 100th Super Rugby cap during a difficult season for the Queensland club.
Woodward bagged two tries on the right wing, while Wes Goosen celebrated his Hurricanes debut and his first touch in Super Rugby with the opening try of the night on the left when he ran onto a perfectly weighted cross kick from first five Beauden Barrett.
In between times captain Dane Coles was driven over from a well-executed lineout drive an replacement midfielder Ngani Laumape ploughed his way through four or five Reds defenders to score directly from a scrum.
With five senior players standing down after breaking curfew in South Africa, the Hurricanes wider squad stood up to be counted.
Openside Callum Gibbins was outstanding, Goosen full of energy, Woodward all intent and No 8 Blade Thomson dynamic in his favoured position as a loose forward.
On the injury front, Coles and lock Michael Fatialofa failed concussion tests on the night and fellow second rower Vaea Fifita left the field with a calf injury.
With the bye next weekend before a huge May 27 clash with the Highlanders at Westpac Stadium on May 27, all three have an extra week to prove their fitness for the next match.
For now though, Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd can reflect on a job well done after a win over the Reds that leaves his side just one point off the joint New Zealand Conference leading Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders.
"Considering the week that's been and the fact that we lost both of our locks and Dane (Coles), ended up with two openside flankers and a 6 playing No.8, the bulk of the game I was really happy we were able to hold on and get our bonus point.
"It was great for Wes to get a try on debut, I think he was paying 40 to 1, so someone's made a nice buck out of that. I thought Woody was really good on the other wing and Blade had a busy game at No 8 and Callum Gibbins was pretty good as well.
"I think they all did really well. They had big shoes to fill and, by and large, they did a pretty good job."
Beating the Reds, and beating them well was no easy feat on a night when the visitors were combative in all areas."
Though Boyd wasn't hailing his team's performance as their best of the season, he would have admired the way his side stuck to their task until the final minute.
Goosen started his Super Rugby career with a bang when he caught Barrett's cross kick in the opening minutes, then swerved out of Japanese fullback Ayumu Gorumaru's tackle attempt to show a clean pair of heels.
Coles' try came just before halftime after the Reds had lost loose forward Hendrik Tui to the sinbin for collapsing a maul, the hooker burrowing over following a Thomson lineout take to make it 12-6 at the break.
Woodward got his first shortly after the break when he pounced on a loose Reds pass in the backline, toed the ball through and won the race to the in-goal.
The Reds showed plenty of fight to come back with a well taken try to right wing Chris Feauai-Sautia to make it 17-14 before Laumape gave his side some breathing space with 15 minutes to play when he raced onto a TJ Perenara pass from a five metre scrum.
Laumape's try was a display of pure power as he bulldozed past four or five Reds defenders to plant the ball over the try line with his first touch of the ball, while Woodward sealed the win with his well taken intercept on the final whistle.
Scorers:
Hurricanes 29 (Wes Goosen, Dane Coles, Jason Woodward 2, Ngani Laumape tries; Beauden Barrett 2 con) Reds 14 (Chris Feauai-Sautia try; Ayumu Goromaru 3 pen). HT: 12-6