It is only the second time that the All Blacks have failed to beat the Lions in a series - and much of that is down to a sharp improvement from Warren Gatland's men.
After all, in the first Test just over two weeks ago, also in Auckland, the tourists were well-beaten after running out of steam in the second half.
The second Test in Wellington, though, was a different story. Trailing 18-9, having been level at half time, it looked as if the Lions' indiscipline might have been their undoing.
But, belatedly, the Lions started using their man advantage which had been gained when Sonny Bill Williams became the first All Black to be sent off for 50 years after he had crashed into the face of Anthony Watson with his shoulder.
First, on the hour, Taulupe Faletau went over in the corner to bring the Lions back into it.
Then, despite another New Zealand penalty in the meantime, Conor Murray added a second try after good work by Jamie George. Owen Farrell converted and the match was all-square at 21-21.
With three minutes left, Farrell then nailed the winning penalty and the Lions could celebrate a first victory over the All Blacks for 24 years.
For New Zealand, this was a first home defeat in 48 matches, a sequence which stretched back to 2009. It was also the first time for 15 years that they had failed to cross the try line in a home Test.
And, of course, it set up yesterday's delectable decider.
The All Blacks, clearly, were a wounded force after their rare defeat - and they allowed the Lions no breathing space in a frantic first half.
Indeed, if they had made the most of their numerous chances, then the late controversy to come would surely have been rendered pretty irrelevant.
As it was, the All Blacks spurned several good opportunities to score, and Ngani Laumape's try was all they had to show for their outright early dominance.
Nevertheless, the try was a thing of beauty as a cross-field kick from Beauden Barrett was patted down by his younger brother Jordie for Laumape to run onto.
Somehow, the Lions stayed in touch with two Farrell penalties - but, just before half time, came a scintillating second All Blacks try, finished off by Jordie Barrett on his first start.
At the interval then, it was 12-6 but the two-nil scoreline in terms of tries was a far better reflection of proceedings.
It looked as if the Lions would need something special - and, within seconds of the start of the second period, they got it through Elliot Daly.
For, though it was not a try, Daly's monstrous kick from inside his own half reduced arrears again to 12-9.
And then the All Blacks were temporarily reduced again to 14 men as French referee Romain Poite harshly penalised Jerome Kaino for a tackle on Alun Wynn Jones.
Once again, the Lions struggled to take advantage of their numerical superiority but a Farrell penalty squared up the match with 20 minutes to go.
Suddenly, it felt as if the Lions were in touching distance of first series win against New Zealand since 1971 and only a second ever.
However, it was the All Blacks who scored next, as Beauden Barrett slotted over after the Lions had collapsed a scrum.
Still, there was time - and, after Rhys Webb was impeded at the breakdown in the centre of the field, Farrell had another scoring opportunity from range.
Again, he nailed it through the centre of the posts - and again the Lions were level with just two minutes left.
Then came the biggest controversy of them all. From the restart, Beauden Barrett launched a short kick and the ball fell between Liam Williams and Kieran Reid before being played onto Ken Owens.
The Welshman was the wrong side of the offside line and it looked for certain as if it was going to be a penalty.
But, oddly, Poite then seemed to go against his instincts and checked upstairs with the video referee.
And, after a couple of minutes of tense deliberation, it was instead decided that Owens' offside had been accidental - and the All Blacks, to the shock of a packed Eden Park, only had a scrum.
To add to the hosts' disgruntlement, the Lions turned the scrum and Webb briefly broke free with the ball. However, a knock-on gave New Zealand - and Jordie Barrett - one last chance.
Just as the youngster charged for the line, though, the Lions' defence barged him into touch. It was the final action of a pulsating contest.
The match had been drawn and - for the first time ever against the All Blacks - the series had been drawn, and it all felt rather unsatisfactory.
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen perhaps summed it up best when he said: "We've ended up with a hand on the trophy each and it's a little bit like kissing your sister. There's not a lot in it for anybody."
But Lions leader Gatland also had his own final say. Having been lampooned in the New Zealand Herald ahead of the series, the Kiwi entered the last press conference wearing a red clown nose.
Far from a clown, though, history will judge Gatland kindly.
After victory in Australia four years ago, his squad has avoided an overall defeat in the toughest contest of all - even if, this time, he needed more than a little French assistance.
BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND
| 24 June | New Zealand | 30-15 | British & Irish Lions | Auckland |
| T Taylor, Ioane 2 P B Barrett 3 C B Barrett 3 | (13-8) | T O'Brien, Webb P Farrell C Farrell | ||
| 01 July | New Zealand | 21-24 | British & Irish Lions | Wellington |
P B Barrett 7 | (9-9) | T Faletau, Murray P Farrell 4 C Farrell | ||
| 08 July | New Zealand | 15-15 | British & Irish Lions | Auckland |
| T Laumape, J Barrett P B Barrett C B Barrett | (12-6) | P Farrell 4, Daly |
BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS RECORD v NEW ZEALAND
Series
New Zealand 10
Lions 1
Drawn 1
Tests
New Zealand 30
Lions 7
Drawn 4
New Zealand points 700
Lions points 399
