BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Montreal Canadiens and veteran defenseman Andrei Markov keep on rolling.

With a goal and four assists, Markov helped lead the undefeated Canadiens to a 7-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. Montreal became the second team in NHL history to start a season with eight consecutive wins.

"It's fun," Habs defenseman P.K. Subban said. "It's fun to play right now when guys are coming out and executing the game plan as well as we are right now."

Right wingers Brendan Gallagher and Dale Weise scored twice each, and center Torrey Mitchell and left winger Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal. Goalie Mike Condon made 33 saves.

The Canadiens are two wins from tying the NHL record to start a season, set by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993-94 and the Sabres in 2006-07.

"We have a good team," Gallagher said. "We have a lot of confidence when we step on the ice. No matter what situation we're faced with we're going to find a way to come through with two points and we did that again."

Montreal was led by its rock-solid top defensive pairing of Markov and Subban. Markov, 37, picked up his 500th point midway through the third period.

"He played a great hockey game," Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. "Him and PK, they control the game. They were solid defensively, really effective offensively. That was a (heck of a) performance by those two."

Subban picked up the puck for Markov, who joked that he would sell it.

"Of course it's special," Markov said. "I never thought I'd be here or have those points. It's all about the team effort."

Left winger Matt Moulson and center Ryan O'Reilly scored for the Sabres (2-5). Goalie Chad Johnson struggled in net, making 19 saves.

"It seems like everything they shot either ricocheted off something, or it was unfortunate for Johnny," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "It's disappointing. It turns into a drubbing."

O'Reilly felt the Sabres could have offered Johnson more support.

"We left Johnson out to dry tonight," the Sabres center said. "He stood on his head on his head all year for us. We have to be sharp."

The Canadiens were in control from the start, aside from a brief burst of offense from the Sabres in the second period.

Weise opened the scoring with 5:25 remaining in the first period on a flawless two-on-one rush with Subban.

Gallagher made it 2-0 just 45 seconds into the second period. After his initial backhand attempt was stopped, he jammed the puck inside the post for his second goal of the year.

Moulson got the Sabres on the board four minutes later after a terrific setup by center Sam Reinhart. Skating to the right of the Montreal net, Reinhart found Moulson in the left circle with a no-look, backhand pass. Moulson then blasted a one-timer for his second goal of the season.

O'Reilly evened the score with a power-play strike 11:04 into the second period. Seconds after Montreal left winger Tomas Fleischmann was sent to the box for interference, O'Reilly scored on a powerful one-timer from the right circle.

Montreal quickly got its lead back thanks to former Sabre Torrey Mitchell, who redirected Subban's shot from the point with 6:29 left in the second period to put Montreal up 3-2.

Markov restored Montreal's two-goal lead with a quick power-play goal with 1:38 left in the second period. With Buffalo center Tyler Ennis off because of a roughing penalty, Markov beat Johnson with a long shot from the point to make it 4-2.

Montreal went up 5-2 on Gallagher's second goal of the evening 27 seconds into the third period with a shot from close range.

Pacioretty made it 6-2 with a shot through traffic 11:11 into the third period.

Weise made it 7-2 with a deflection off a shot from the point with 4:37 remaining.

NOTES: C David Legwand and D Carlo Colaiacovo were scratched for the Sabres. Buffalo remains without D Zach Bogosian (lower body) and G Robin Lehner (high ankle sprain), who are on injured reserve. ... Before the game, the Sabres recalled G Linus Ullmark. It's the first NHL call-up for Ullmark, a sixth-round pick in 2012. He is 1-2 in his first season with the AHL's Rochester Americans, posting a .932 save percentage and a 2.72 goals-against average. Buffalo also assigned G Nathan Lieuwen to Rochester. ... D Greg Pateryn, D Jarred Tinordi and LW Paul Byron were scratched for the Canadiens. ... The next meeting between the two teams is on Wednesday, Feb. 3, in Montreal.