Penrith have overcome three sin-binnings and enhanced their top-two push with a 22-14 defeat of Melbourne, who are guaranteed to miss finals for the first time in 16 years.
The Panthers looked ready to shake off their recent patchy form as PNG recruit Brian To'o bagged a hat-trick of tries en route to a 22-0 first-half lead on Thursday.
But Penrith's premiership-winning best remains elusive, with the visitors sputtering as they lost Liam Martin (professional foul), Lindsay Smith (repeated infringements) and Jack Cogger (high tackle) for 10 minutes each from late in the first half.
It marked the first time since 1996 the Panthers had three players sin-binned in the same game, after Melbourne's Oryn Keeley also sat down for repeated infringements earlier in the game.
The ill-disciplined Panthers were forced to play with 11 men for around three minutes and the Storm found success targeting right centre Izack Tago.
Melbourne came within eight points thanks to Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown's skilful put-down in the right hand corner with 20 minutes to play.
But things were harder once Penrith were restored to the full complement and the Panthers held on in wet conditions.
The loss officially consigns the Storm to their first year without finals since 2010, though they had already been relying on a mathematical miracle to qualify.
The Panthers temporarily moved atop the ladder but are unlikely to stay there given the Sydney Roosters face bumbling Wests Tigers this weekend.
The win came in Ivan Cleary's 500th game as an NRL coach, but the master mentor would have been frustrated by another Jekyll-and-Hyde showing from his side.
Things started well as Martin batted down a Nathan Cleary kick, with Smith gathering the ball and sending a beautiful cutout ball over to To'o.
To'o picked off a wayward Sua Fa'alogo pass and dashed 60 metres for his second try, before a bullet-like Cleary pass handed him his third.
The right winger now has 102 career tries, putting him outright second on the club leaderboard behind only 2003 premiership winner Rhys Wesser (113).
The sin-binnings meant things never hit the same heights again for the Panthers, who could lose new five-eighth Cogger to suspension for his high shot on Tyran Wishart.
Replacing Blaize Talagi with the more defensively assured Cogger has been an inspired choice.
But Cogger has already been suspended once this season for rushing out of the line to make a high tackle and is set to come under scrutiny again on the run to finals.