The South African side the Stormers crushed the Hurricanes 37-13 to go second in the Super 14 points table.
Fullback Joe Pietersen, scorer of 56 points in the first four matches, added 17 more with a try, three conversions and two penalties.
The Stormers, who finished 10th in 2009, notched five tries to two to confirm not only their playoff credentials but also why they are one of the competition's best defensive teams.
The Hurricanes, semi-finalists last year, battled to unlock the home side's suffocating defence.
With no way through the visitors had to be content with a penalty from first five Willie Ripia as their only points of the first half.
Pietersen booted a penalty in the second minute and then sprinted down the touchline seven minutes later to put Fijian winger Sireli Naqelevuki away for their first try.
Ripia's penalty made it 8-3 but Pietersen increased the lead to 10 when another Naqelevuki charge gave the fullback the space to dive over.
With the Stormers dominating possession and territory, they scored a third try in first-half injury time through number eight Duane Vermeulen after a 30-metre forward drive from a rolling maul.
The Stormers grabbed their bonus-point try on the hour mark when prop Brok Harris burrowed over from close range after first five Peter Grant had prised open the defence.
Pietersen kicked the acute-angled conversion to open up a 24-point lead before the Hurricanes cut the deficit with a try by winger David Smith.
Any hopes of a comeback were snuffed out when Pietersen kicked a second penalty and centre Jaque Fourie dived over for a fifth try with a minute remaining.
