Huddersfield looked like holding on for a win after leading 3-2 since half-time, but Pools hit them with a late hurricane to take the points.
Joel Porter's penalty made it 3-3 on 83 minutes and that started the late fireworks.
Kevin Kyle headed the home team in front on 85 minutes and Porter added a fifth a minute from the end.
There were five goals in a crazy first half with Huddersfield taking the lead three times as the game swung wildly from one end to the other.
Town took the lead on eight minutes when Liam Dickinson's low 25-yard free-kick somehow got through the wall before finding its way into the bottom corner.
Hartlepool came back well, only for Kyle to hit the post on 25 minutes after turning well on the edge of the area.
But the home team levelled on 26 minutes with Kyle heading in from close range after Matt Glennon parried a header from Porter into the air.
Huddersfield regained the lead on 38 minutes when Glennon's huge clearance caught the home defence off guard and Ian Craney finished well from ten yards after nipping in from nowhere.
Again the home side came back, this time just a minute later when Porter crossed perfectly from the right for James Brown to head in from six yards.
But Huddersfield weren't to be denied and a minute before half-time there were ahead again thanks to the best goal so far as Dickinson curled another 25-yard free-kick round the wall and into the top corner.
Town thought they were on a winner, until that crazy finish from Hartlepool.