The Hurricanes halfback scored the game-winning try, his second, two minutes into stoppage time to cap a cracker of a game.
The Highlanders — such heavy underdogs — did not really deserve to lose.
Their bravery and commitment, particularly in defence, was so heartening it would be cruel to throw too many barbs at them for giving up that late try, or for butchering a late lineout that offered them an opportunity to see out the game.
From inspirational co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai to relentless lock Fabian Holland, they showed they do not see themselves as Super Rugby cannon fodder but as a match for anyone when they muscle up and play with some tempo and confidence.
The first half pretty much had at all.
There were plenty of mistakes — and a set of rather misfiring lineouts — but both sides were forgiven for that as they tore into the physical battle with relentless intensity.
Some of the defence was jaw-rattling, some of the attack jaw-dropping.
There were a couple of cracking tries, too, including a contender for Highlanders try of the season, if not the century.
Jonah Lowe has been something of a forgotten man for the Highlanders in recent times but his was a most memorable contribution to the first quarter.
Just 110sec in, after the winger had earlier wrestled a turnover off the Hurricanes, Lowe scored the opening try when he hit the line and showed impressive agility to turn and reach out to dot down.
A perfect start was marginally spoiled when the Hurricanes claimed rare clean lineout ball and showed greased-lightning hands in the backline before winger Bailyn Sullivan, perhaps the competition’s form finisher, blasted his way over the line.
If the start was exciting, what came next was . . . checks thesaurus . . . absolutely magnificent.
A long-range counter-attack was sparked by a Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens cross kick.
Tanielu Tele’a brutally pushed off a Hurricanes defender, Lowe ran on next, and Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens handled briefly before dishing back to Lowe for his second try, one of the best you will see in Highlanders colours.
It was only a 14-7 lead, and they had had to do their fair share of defending, but the Highlanders were rightly feeling pretty good about themselves.
It lasted about five minutes.
Turnover talisman Timoci Tavatavanawai got low in the tackle but still managed to go head-on-head with Ruben Love, and he was sent to the bench for 10 minutes.
Winger Jona Nareki limped off — having just made his return from injury — and that led to reserve halfback Adam Lennox having to man the wing.
The worst-case scenario was Tavatavanawai getting his card upgraded to red, and the Highlanders coughing up lots of points in his absence.
Neither happened.
Anyone who suggests the Highlanders lack good amounts of ticker can refer to this game tape.
They kept the Canes scoreless for the rest of the half, though the home side went close when leviathan prop Pasilio Tosi rumbled over the line but was found to have lost the ball.
The Highlanders got Roigard-ed early in the second half when the fleet-footed halfback swooped like a rocket at the base of a ruck and scored before his defenders even knew who had the ball.
A Brett Cameron 50-22 got the Hurricanes back on the attack, and while an initial lineout misfired again, a second led to the ball going wide to Fatefehi Fineanganofo for the go-ahead try, or what would have been the go-ahead try had it not been ruled out for a forward pass.
Another Roigard break ended in a wayward pass but there was a sinking feeling the Hurricanes were getting on top.
They seemed to have scored again but Lennox showed great pace to deny Callum Harkin.
It remained 14-14 with a quarter to play. Anyone’s game, in other words, though momentum was with the home side.
Love gave the Hurricanes the lead for the first time with a penalty, before Taine Robinson replied to level the scores again, and Robinson kicked a second penalty to give the Highlanders a 20-17 lead with seven minutes to play.
That set the stage for the dramatic final moments, and what could have been one of the great Highlanders wins but ended up being a crushing disappointment.
The Highlanders are out of playoff contention with games to come against the Crusaders and the Chiefs.
The scores
Hurricanes 24 (Cam Roigard 2, Bailyn Sullivan tries; Ruben Love 3 con, pen)
Highlanders 20 (Jonah Lowe 2 tries; Taine Robinson 2 con, 2 pen)
Halftime: Highlanders 14-7.
