Stoke won at the MKM Stadium for a fifth consecutive season as Hull's fine run of form ended with a 1-0 defeat in a game blighted by a bad shoulder injury to goalscorer Robert Bozenik.
Despite having claimed one victory from six previous games, Mark Robins' side never looked back after Bozenik volleyed home at the far post on 39 minutes.
Bozenik's day did, however, end on a sombre note as he was inconsolably taken off in the second half with a worrying shoulder injury that led to the addition of 17 minutes in stoppage time.
Hull, who began the day just two points off the automatic promotion places, were strangely lethargic from the outset and can have few complaints with the scoreline - even though they twice struck the woodwork.
Both sides were earlier this week sanctioned by the Football Association following a mass brawl at full-time of the corresponding fixture in November.
Perhaps surprisingly, then, there were few fireworks throughout a damp squib of a match in which the visitors nonetheless looked sharper and in greater control.
Bozenik created the first meaningful chance on 18 minutes after he was teed up by Lamine Cisse in a central position.
Bozenik's curling hit from outside the penalty area was goalbound, but efficiently dealt with by Ivor Pandur.
Hull finally awoke from their New Year's Day slumber, with Liam Millar a particular threat on the left wing.
It was from that flank that the home side nearly scored just before the half-hour mark when Regan Slater almost outfoxed goalkeeper Tommy Simkin from a direct corner.
Simkin was fleetingly caught on his heels but responded with a fine low save that was parried to Charlie Hughes, who battered the crossbar on the follow-up.
But with key player Oli McBurnie continually isolated, Hull could not find any real sense of momentum after having gone so close.
Stoke, by contrast, were livelier within the final third and punished poor defending when Bozenik scored his first goal for the club.
Cisse drilled the ball from the right across the face of goal and Bozenik, whose cause was aided by weak defending and even weaker goalkeeping, could not miss.
The early second-half injury to Bozenik, who required oxygen and left the pitch in tears, badly disrupted the flow of the game that was already disjointed at best.
The hosts at least gave head coach Sergej Jakirovic a degree of hope when a reaching McBurnie was within a stud's length of making cleaner contact with Millar's sweet cross after 67 minutes.
Stoke would have put the game to bed after 83 minutes had it not been for Lewie Coyle's acrobatic goalline clearance off Ashley Phillips' back-post header.
Subdued home fans were given a second wind by the announcement of 17 minutes of stoppage time, during which Kasey Palmer let fly with an effort from the edge of the box.
Palmer appeared destined to have equalised, but the ball thundered off the woodwork, bounced on the line before being hoofed to safety to ensure three much-needed points for the visitors.
Hull's Sergej Jakirovic:
"We didn't play like we wanted, especially in the first half - lots of long balls and lots of aerial challenges.
"For Stoke, it was very easy to defend. We didn't even try to play in possession and did not have enough creativity.
"I expected this type of game. I always thought it would be one goal (that would settle the match).
"I am expecting a tough game against Watford but right now we must wait to see who will be available."
Stoke's Mark Robins:
"It's a dislocated shoulder and it's not looking great.
"He went to hospital in a significant amount of distress and pain, so we'll have to see what the outcome of that is.
"I thought he's been looking like a proper striker and has been working towards that.
"It's another blow and we'll just have to see how that is."
