WASHINGTON -- Three-time Stanley Cup winner Justin Williams was brought to Washington to provide a missing piece of the puzzle for a Capitals team that is known for its postseason disappointments.

The veteran right winger is definitely fitting in.

Williams recorded his second career hat trick, left winger Alex Ovechkin notched his 27th goal of the season, and the Capitals defeated the New York Rangers 5-2 Sunday.

Williams, 33, scored on a deflection in the second period, added a tip-in at 4:51 of the third period to make it 4-2, then clinched the victory with an empty-netter with 1:51 left.

"He's a gamer," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "As a coach, it brings a smile to your face. He gets people involved, makes them think hockey, makes them think in the moment when they don't even realize it. ... I see why he's won everywhere he's gone."

Left winger Marcus Johansson also scored for Washington, which won its 12th consecutive home game, the longest such streak in the NHL this season.

Capitals goalie Braden Holtby left late in the second period due to dehydration. He stopped 20 of 22 shots. Philipp Grubauer relieved him and made 11 saves without conceding a goal.

"(Holtby) just said that he was having a little trouble getting focused," Trotz said. "He didn't get hit or anything, so we just think it's a little dehydration."

The Capitals (34-8-3), who lost at Buffalo on Saturday night, improved to 10-0-1 following losses. They are the only team yet to experience back-to-back regulation defeats this season.

"We're a very proud team," Williams said. "We're not used to losing, and we don't like it. You throw a stinker in there and you want to redeem it. Lucky for us, we were able to do it the next night."

New York left winger Chris Kreider scored twice, and goalie Antti Raanta, in his first start since Dec. 17, made 19 saves.

The Rangers (24-16-5) were looking to win consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 21-23.

"They didn't get a lot of looks, but the looks they got, they were able to put in the back of the net," New York coach Alain Vigneault said of the Capitals.

The Rangers took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when defenseman Ryan McDonagh's shot from the point was deflected past Holtby by Kreider.

Washington got the equalizer on its second power-play chance of the period when Ovechkin got the puck in the left circle, skated to create an opening and wristed a shot between Raanta's legs with 1:59 remaining.

"I thought we came out well," Vigneault said. "Then, (Derick Brassard) took that stick penalty, and it wasn't a good penalty at all. They tied it up on that."

Washington broke the 1-1 tie with two goals early in the second period.

On a power play, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, set up the right circle, sent a precision pass to Johansson to the left of Raanta, and Johansson tipped it home for his 12th of the season.

"They are one of the best power-play teams in the league, and we didn't help ourselves by taking too many penalties," New York defenseman Marc Staal said. "It starts there."

Sixty-two seconds later, defenseman Taylor Chorney's blast from the point deflected off Williams into the net to make it 3-1.

Kreider picked up his second goal with 2:32 left in the second period when he got to a loose puck in the slot and fired past Holtby for his ninth of the season.

During the next play stoppage, Holtby skated to the Capitals bench, talked briefly with the team trainer, then went to the dressing room.

NOTES: RW Justin Williams' first hat trick came in October 2006 for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Tampa Bay Lightning. ... The Capitals lead the season series 3-1. The teams' final regular-season meeting is March 4 in Washington. ... Rangers LW Rick Nash has gone seven straight games without a goal. He did have an assist Sunday. ... Washington C Nicklas Backstrom has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past eight games, including an assist Sunday. ... The Capitals' franchise-record home winning streak was a 13-game run from Jan. 5-March 6, 2010. ... Rangers D Kevin Klein, who left Saturday's game at Philadelphia with a right thumb injury, was out, and C Jayson Megna also was scratched. ... D Ryan Stanton, C Zach Sill, and C Michael Latta were Washington's scratches.